The Girl Next Door
by yourbrowneyedgirl
Summary: Childhood sweethearts turned bitter are forced to pose as a married couple. If the wrong people find out their marriage is a sham, they'll both be killed. The one thing they didn't expect? Falling in love all over again. ExB, All Human, Bella POV.
1. Breaking Hearts and Breaking Dishes

**AN: So here is some original fiction I wrote a while back. I just changed the names to Edward and Bella. I'll post more of it if people like it. Thanks for reading!**

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Preface

Sitting on the floor, I gazed at the 3-carat diamond for what had to be the thousandth time. _It's so pretty_. I held it up to the light, watching the dazzling white radiance sparkle around the room, casting bits of rainbow in its wake. I could hardly believe that my long-awaited for ring was on my finger. My thoughts swirled to what kind of flowers should be in my bouquet, and if the dress should be strapless or not, and then I remembered that there would be no wedding following this proposal.

I sighed, and let my hand fall into my lap. The magic had faded, and I had to face the ring's true purpose.

Chapter One

Breaking Hearts and Breaking Dishes

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"Eddie! Put me down!" The small five year old girl squealed.

"Nope! Not 'till you promise, Bella Swan!" The little seven year old boy replied, his green eyes sparkling with mirth, as he jostled his best friend over his shoulder, caveman style.

"But Eddie," she said, her big brown eyes wide in shock, "I'm too little!"

The boy considered this.

"Well, okay, maybe you are, but… I want you to promise, for when we are grown up."

The little girl sighed, and pushed her chocolate colored curls out of her face.

"I promise." She huffed, and tugged on his messy chestnut- hued hair, wanting to be let go.

"Promise what?" The boy prompted.

"I promise you, Edward Cullen, that when we are all grown up, I will marry you. Now please put me down?"

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I remember that little scene in my backyard from eighteen years ago. I recall seeing Edward's face (after he had unceremoniously dumped me on the ground) light up when I told him I would be his wife when we were adults. I laughed ruefully. Being Edward Cullen's wife was the last thing in the world I would want to be _now_.

Sure, we had been good friends when we were little. I remember when their family moved into our neighborhood. I had been four, and my brother Emmett was eight. Edward was six and his sisters Rosalie and Alice were eight and ten, respectively. Emmett had held no interest in having a six year old boy as a playmate, but I had immediately crushed on Edward and offered him my friendship. He accepted, and we became fast friends.

Seeing as our houses were next door to each other, we spent nearly every waking moment together. We were inseparable, and there were whispered talks between our parents about us being childhood sweethearts and the far off possibility of marriage. Being little children, we were oblivious to romantic feelings, but we knew we couldn't live without each other. I guess that was when Edward decided to propose. We completed each other- two halves of a whole, peanut butter and jelly. We continued on, playing together, and never worrying, knowing we would spend the rest of our lives together.

Years passed, and even though we made other friends, we still continued our friendship. However, we slowly drifted apart as it became clear we were living completely different lifestyles. We had different interests, and our frequent quarrels did nothing to strengthen our friendship. I suppose the breaking point in our relationship had been when I was twelve and he fourteen. Edward was preparing to enter his first year of high school, while I was still stuck in lowly middle school. I remembered it like it was yesterday.

He had been going to high school for a little while, and within the first few days of him going, I noticed a change in his behavior. We still hung out, but he seemed uneasy. I asked him a lot of questions, and he replied with short or one word answers. By the end of the week, he was totally indifferent to my presence, and I was hurt. I was the one who had to ask if he wanted to come over, and I was the one who had to initiate conversation, or else we would just sit there in uncomfortable silence. This had never happened before. I didn't understand what I had done to make him so distant. I mentioned this to my mother, and she simply said to give him some space. He just needed a little time to get settled into high school, and then things would go back to normal, she said.

Boy was she wrong. After our awkward period had been going on for about a month, Edward brought a friend home from school. Not just any friend. A gorgeous fourteen year old girl named Lauren. She had long wavy blonde hair, and the body of a model. I was instantly crushed, seeing this girl laughing and talking easily with Edward, just a like we used to do before Edward began to act strangely. That was the first day that I did not go over to his house. After all, why would he want me to hang out with? I was not exactly ugly, but my long, tangled brown locks and too- big brown eyes had nothing on the blonde beauty that was occupying Edward's attention. She was tall, and I was not. I still had my braces, and she had sparkly white, perfectly straight teeth. She already had a curvy figure, while I was still in the awkward stages of puberty. We were polar opposites. I cried myself to sleep that night. I knew that things were slowly fading between Edward and I, and that all too soon, he would want nothing to do with me.

He brought Lauren over to his house every day after school. After a week of not seeing or speaking to him, I went over to his house and asked to see him. I had made him cookies, ready to apologize for anything I had done. His mother let me in, and I ran to his room. I remember that he was lying on his bed, Lauren next to him, and they were laughing and talking about some assignment. I greeted him breathlessly, but he briefly glanced at me. Lauren giggled and whispered something in his ear. He looked at her, then me, and bluntly told me that we could no longer be friends. Then he went back to joking with Lauren and ignored me.

Shocked and hurt, I angrily threw the plate of cookies at them and told him I hated him. I left them there, covered in cookie crumbs and pieces of broken plate. I walked back to my house, the angry squeals of Lauren echoing in my ears as she found herself covered in a sticky mess. I held my head up high, but I could not hold back the tears that were spilling down my cheeks. I never spoke to Edward again.

We acted more like strangers than next door neighbors during the next four years. He had a new girlfriend every two months (the first of whom was Lauren), and won trophy after trophy for being the star of the football team. When I finally started high school, I had a few boyfriends, but my relationships with them did not last long. I was a devoted member of the photography club, and I was also head of the yearbook committee. I was not unpopular, but even if our previous history did not exist, I was never the type of girl that walked upon Edward's arm as he led her to class. The only class we had together was eighth period AP English, and even then, we did not acknowledge each other's presence.

I watched, every Friday night of my freshman and sophomore years, as he got into his little convertible (dressed to the tee), and sped off to spend time with some other girl. I spent my Friday nights at home. Yet I still wished that maybe one day, his car would come to my door, and we would drive away, happy and free, to spend a glorious evening. He never came.

But all the sticky drama with Edward was over now. It had been years since we had been in touch, and I preferred it that way. He had left for Stanford University upon graduating high school, actually planning on joining the CIA. I knew his dad had tried to pressure him into becoming a doctor, like he was, but Edward remained steadfast in his decision. I knew, from his countless hours watching spy programs on TV that he wanted to be a secret agent. I guess he was part of the CIA now. Ever since the fiasco with Lauren, I hadn't bothered to find out.

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**AN: I'm just setting the scene here- but it's going to get good :) **


	2. Dinner With Tiffany's

Chapter Two

_Dinner with Tiffany's _

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I was in the middle of cooking dinner when I heard a knock on my front door. I stiffened instantly. I didn't know too many people here yet, and I prayed that whoever was at my door was not some sort of stalker, serial killer, or pervert. I wiped my hands on a dishtowel and walked over to the front door. I wished that it had some sort of peephole so I could see who was on the other side of it. Another knock, louder than the first startled me into putting my hand on the knob. Saying a quick prayer, I opened the door.

There was a moment where time stopped, and I felt I might faint. I looked up into sparkling green eyes, much like those of… I couldn't believe it. Edward Cullen was standing on my front step. I stood there, like an idiot. The memories came back to me in a flood, and I looked down, my face heating. _What was he doing here?_ After all these years…

"Bella?"

I froze. The sound of his velvety voice- it was almost painful to hear. Then, mentally kicking myself for being a wimp, I looked him straight in the eye, and heard my own voice, unusually high- pitched and falsely cheery.

"Edward? Hi! Um…" The cheeriness instantly dissolved. I felt breathless and shaky. But he didn't notice my uneasiness. He seemed distracted, looking behind me, instead of my face. He cleared his throat.

"Uh, yeah, hi. It's been a while, huh? Do you ah, have a minute?" he stood there, fidgeting with his collar, and looking at everything except me.

I felt a little annoyed. The last time I saw him did not coincide with pleasant memories. I needed him to get to the point (and out of my life) _fast_. I cleared my throat, and said sharply,

"Was there something you needed, Edward? Because I have things to do."

He winced. Good.

"Yes, Bella, I do need something. A few things, actually. The first being your forgiveness. I've been such an... well, you know. I don't mean to impose more than I already have, but could I come in? It's freezing out here."

I noticed his lips were a little blue. It _was _cold outside. I sighed. "Yes, please come in."

He stepped into my small house, and I closed the door and locked it behind me. I decided to be somewhat nice, seeing as I would probably not see him again for a while. All coherent thoughts flew out of my mind as I turned around to face him. He had pulled off his gray coat, and was wearing a simple black long sleeve shirt that hugged his muscular arms and torso. I noticed how nicely his dark jeans fit- not too baggy and not too tight either. He was perfection. He also caught me ogling him.

"See something you like?" He teased, his first smile of the evening appearing. I flushed, and decided to change the subject.

"Are you hungry or thirsty? I was just about to have dinner…butternut squash ravioli..."

His eyes flickered, conveying an emotion of surprise. "Are you sure? I really don't deserve…" He trailed off, a faint blush staining his cheekbones.

I actually felt a little remorse. Sure he had screwed up, but I was never one to withhold food from a hungry person. Especially such an attractive hungry person...

_He broke your heart when you were twelve, idiot. Feed him then give him the boot. You have a novel you need to get back to editing. _

"Of course I'm sure." Seeing the happy look on his face made me want to offer up the entire contents of my refrigerator for him to consume.

"Well, if it's alright, I'd love some." He looked down at his feet.

I took his coat, and hung it in the hall closet, then motioned for him to sit at my small, cluttered dining room table. It had been a while since I'd entertained anyone, and I grimaced at the dust that had gathered when I swept my books and papers off the wooden table. I quickly wiped it off with a wet paper towel, not daring to look Edward in the eye.

What was he doing here? What did he want? I scurried back to the kitchen, surreptitiously glancing at him in between stirring the cream sauce for the ravioli. I ladled the ravioli onto my best china plates with a shaky hand, splattering sauce all over the counter top. I wiped up the mess with the corner of my over sized tee shirt a moment too late. Shoot. I craned my neck to see if Edward was watching. He was.

I blushed fourteen shades of red, and peeled off the dirty shirt, thankful I had on a long sleeve underneath. I grabbed a handful of cutlery from the silverware drawer, and tucked two wrinkled cloth napkins under my arm. I debated on grabbing a few candles, but then stopped myself. I didn't like Edward, remember? There was no need to impress him too much.

I made my way back to the table, still not looking him in the eye. I set the plate in front of him, as well as the unpolished silverware and crinkly napkin. He gave an appreciative grunt, and I plopped down into the seat across from him, then jumped back up quickly as something sharp met my rear end.

"Ow!" I squeaked, blushing again.

Edward looked up concernedly, and I held up the blasted binder clip that had poked me.

"I'm fine. Just a... ah, clip. Stupid thing. I don't know what it was doing in my chair." I giggled awkwardly, and when he didn't respond, I stopped my nervous chuckling and threw the binder clip under the table.

"Can I get you something to drink?" I asked shyly, as he simply sat there, waiting to eat.

"A glass of water would be great," he mumbled, staring longingly at his plate.

"Okay. Go ahead and start, before it gets cold!" I said kindly, hoping to appear sincere.

_I hope you choke on a ravioli, you two timing heart breaker..._

He gratefully began eating, and I hopped up from my seat to grab two water bottles and a couple of glasses. The tap water in this house was disgusting.

I gave him his respective water bottle and glass, then picked up my own fork and began to eat.

"So, Edward," I said abruptly, wanting to cut to the chase, "I can't imagine this is purely a social call. What are you doing here?"

He gagged a little on his water, and I instinctively leaned back, ready to run if he started hurling.

He coughed, and pounded his chest (his very nicely toned- _ahem_, Isabella) a few times, getting the water he had swallowed wrongly back into the right pipe.

"Wow, you're pretty frank, for a girl," he said, looking me straight in the eyes for the first time.

I narrowed my eyes at him and let my fork fall to my plate with a loud clatter.

"You didn't answer my question."

His eyes widened a bit.

"Well, I'm here because... ah, um. Listen, ah, do you, um, heh, are you…" he stopped shyly, rubbing his neck nervously. "This is um, really awkward…but…"

_Yes? Yes?! _

"Okay…aw…man, I don't even know where to begin!" he laughed shakily again, and I was getting more and more confused. Why was he acting so weird? What did he want? Finally he blurted out his mission.

"Will you marry me?"

To say I was shocked would have been the biggest understatement of the year.

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**AN: Wow, guys! I can't believe how many alerts and favorites this got! The reviews made me so happy. I realize that there are a lot of unanswered questions, and I promise I will explain everything in due time. Thanks again for reading!**

**And if Bella seems OOC, well, she never really got over him, but he did break her heart, so she's conflicted. **

**Reviewers get to give Edward butternut squash ravioli :)**


	3. Poser

Chapter Three

_Poser_

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"Are you serious? Me? Marry you? What kind of sick joke have you cooked up here, Edward?"

_What the heck? He just shows up, and asks me this? _

He held up his hands in defense. "Please, just hear me out!"

He took a deep breath, before saying, "It's like this. I've been involved with the CIA for a few years now, and we've been keeping our eye on a big Belgian business who is suspected of fraudulent dealings with small companies. They like to invest in companies they'll think will go far, but it's a bloodthirsty bunch of men. I've been asked to pose as a businessman for a fake company the CIA has set up, just to see if the rumors are true. However, this Belgian firm only does business with family owned and operated companies. They know that the CIA sets up these false businesses, and they want to steer clear of them. A single, seemingly brilliant guy would seem suspicious to them. That's where you come in-"

I cut him off, too incensed to care that I was being rude.

"So, let me get this straight. You were hoping that I would pose as your _wife_?" I was shocked.

Next thing I knew, he was going to tell me he had rented a kid too, just to complete the family image.

"Yeah, yeah! Exactly! So…" he raised his eyebrows quizzically.

"Edward! I can't believe this! No! _No_! I absolutely cannot! Are you crazy? Do you know how much trouble you could get in?! Never mind that! You're not asking me to be your fake wife, you're asking me to _lie_! Lie for _you_! And what happens if this big bad foreign company finds out we've been lying to them? They'll kill us, right? Oh my goodness, No!"

It was Edward's turn to be shocked.

"Oh, come off it, Bella. Its not like I'm asking you to cut off your arm or anything, just to sort of, play pretend… it would only be for a few weeks…"

"I can't pretend that what you're asking me to do is just "pretend". For me, it's lying. And besides, this is against my my morals and my conscience. I'm sorry. I just can't. And I'm certainly not going to run the risk of getting_ killed_ in the process."

Edward looked crestfallen. "But … I need you."

I exploded at that.

"Need me?! You don't even _know_ me, Edward! This isn't the old days! We aren't kids anymore! You made it clear you were done with me a long time ago! You expect me to just fall into your little scheme and go along with it! No! I won't do it! And frankly, this isn't about my conscience or my morals. This is about me. I'm not going to do this. Find someone else."

"Who, Isabella, who am I going to find? I'm meeting with Belgian CEO tomorrow. 9:00am, sharp."

"What? You already set up an appointment? You thought I would be that simple to persuade that you already started making _appointments_? How _easy _do you think I am?!"

"I don't know! Okay! I am an idiot! I wasn't thinking! I guess I got carried away! Bella, I need this. I want to establish myself. You don't how hard it is for a young guy like me to be in this line of work. It's very competitive. And people want old pros. I'm not an old pro, but I am good at what I do. This is a once- in-a -lifetime chance for me. Not many people would trust me with such a mission. I need to prove I'm worthy to my employers, so they'll task me to more difficult missions."

"I don't care. You should have thought ahead. Go find another girl. Call up Lauren. I'm sure she'd be very happy to fill in."

He barked out a laugh at that. "I cannot believe you are still bitter about that. Besides, I don't where she is. You were my last hope, Bella."

"Nice to know. Get out." I stood up, and motioned him towards the door. We now stood noses apart in my foyer.

He groaned in frustration and ran a hand through his hair. "Not like that, Bella. I really didn't want to impose on you, that's why I asked everyone else I could think of before I came to you."

I found it very hard to believe that the girls he asked to play his wife turned him down.

"What, they all said no?"

"They weren't right for the part."

"And you think I am?"

_Moment of truth here, peeps. _

"Yes... Oh please, Bella! Have a heart!"

"I do have a heart, thank you. And I'll tell you what I'll do…"

"Yes?" His voice was filled with hope.

"I'll pray for you."

And with that, I turned to walk away. But Edward caught my arm.

"Bella, please…"

I turned and looked at him. He stood there, searching my face for some expression of sympathy.

_He looks rather pitiful. And lost… I could…yes, I could help him…but this is wrong. It's deception. I can't. But his face…and … he said he needed me…he wants me…_

It was a reckless decision, but there was a part of me that longed to be close to him once again. My long-distance love would come back to me. Wouldn't he? I couldn't hesitate any longer. It was now or never. Edward Cullen wanted _me_.

_No he doesn't, he only wants to save face and lie_, a familiar little voice said inside my head. _He needs you, yes, but for his own selfish gain. You shouldn't do this. You'll go nowhere fast. This is wrong. The last thing you need to be is living a lie. One that could possibly cost you your life. _

I angrily pushed the little voice out of my mind. "I'll do it."

Seeing the look on Edward's face reaffirmed my gamble. The moment the words were out of my mouth, he whooped with joy and nearly smothered me in his ecstatic embrace.

"I knew it! Oh, I knew, once you saw the light-I just knew you would say yes! So, um, here's the ring-"

He procured a little blue box tied with a white ribbon from his jeans pocket and gave it to me. He looked at me expectantly. _I guess he wants me to open it,_ I thought. _Oh well, it is from_ Tiffany's_, it can't be that bad._ And with no more than a moment's hesitation, I undid the ribbon and opened the box. I was not in any way disappointed by what I saw.

The biggest diamond ring I had ever seen lay sparkling in my hand. "Oh…my…" The diamond seemed to have absorbed most of my powers of speech.

"D'you like it?" he said, his voice sounding anxious. He seemed a little dispirited by my lack of expression.

"Uhm, yeah. It's beautiful."

_Actually, unbelievably gorgeous…_

"Excellent. Well, I thought it might make up for the next few days ahead. You know, compensation. It's yours."

I could not believe what he was saying. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. What would I do with a diamond ring? Does it fit?"

I slipped it on my ring finger. It fit perfectly.

_It's like it was made for me._

I nodded assent.

"Great. So, here's what we have to do. Remember, we're married now. You're not Isabella Swan anymore. You're the new Mrs. Edward Cullen."

_The new Mrs. Edward Cullen_. A title I had longed to hold for too long.

"We or really, you, only have to meet the CEO,a Mr. Schwartz, a couple of times. Tomorrow, of course, and then we'll invite him to dinner and all that."

I spun out of my dreamlike state.

"Invite him to dinner? Where?"

"At our house, silly."

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**AN: Say what?? If you're totally confused, please bear with me. Everything will be explained in due time. Again, OOC Bella? C'mon guys, what would YOU do if EC proposed? All of this is such a shock to her- she thought she had moved on- she doesn't need Edward to be confident in herself. But he just shows up for no reason, **_**proposing**_**? WTH?? Her world was been spun upside down.**

**And yes, she accepted his proposal, but we have yet to hear an apology from dear Edward for the way he acted. And what exactly does this mission he's trapped Bella in entail?? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. So many of you wanted Bella to throw Edward out in the cold with no food, but *tsk* she's just too nice.**

**Oh- he is not 'Poorward' in this fic, but not excessively rich either. Like I said, this story is way different than my other two. I cannot get over how many of you like this story. I just threw it out there, not really expecting anyone to read it- the chapter length is such a joke!!! Thanks again for reading and reviewing!**

**P.S. Fireproof is 2 reviews away from 100- if two of my lovely readers could review that story, I'll send you a one-line teaser from Chapter Four of this story... :)**

**P.P.S. I'm so sorry I didn't reply to reviews. I will this time :)**


	4. The Facts Were These

Chapter Four

_The Facts Were These_

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"Wait, Edward! Our house? You didn't say anything about living together! I-"

He interrupted me.

"Slow down, Bella! Let me explain. I took the liberty of leasing a little place in downtown Seattle. Whenever he wants to meet with us, we'll just go there. We may have to spend a few nights there, just for safety's sake, but it's not a huge deal."

I began to get uneasy. "But what about my friends? What about Charlie and Renee?"

"Don't tell them."

"Edward! I can't do this to them!"

"You'll have to. I'm sorry, Bella, really. I know that you and your parents are really close and all. You'll just need to maintain a low profile for a few weeks. By the way, I'm willing to pay you."

Well, that was something I was not exactly uncomfortable with. My student loans were not going to pay themselves. Goodness knows I could use the money. And I had all summer. I could still spend time with my family…and getting paid to spend time with Edward was too good to pass up. I threw all caution to the wind.

"Okay, Edward. I'm yours."

I could only hope it would all work out.

After I kicked Edward out, I threw the dirty dishes we had used in the sink, then turned off all the lights in the house. I had too much on my mind. I would clean the mess up tomorrow.

But in the solace of my bedroom, my future seemed as bright and sparkly as the ring on my finger. Suddenly feeling exhausted, I crawled into bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.

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I woke to the sound of my cell phone ringing. I rolled over in bed, looking sleepily at the clock. 6:20! Who could be calling me this early in the morning? I fumbled for my black phone on the bedside table and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

Edward Cullen's voice filled my ears. Why was he calling me? Then I remembered last night. And I nearly dropped the phone, glancing at my left hand, namely my ring finger. _Oh my…_

"Bella? Are you there?"

"Um, yeah! Edward, do you know what time it is?"

"6:21 a.m. Beautiful morning, isn't it?" _Only to you. This is why we'll never really get married._

"Edward, why are you calling me at this ungodly hour?"

"Oh, you're still in bed? I'm sorry. Should I call you back?"

"No, I'm awake now. What did you need?" I said, rubbing my eyes and trying not to yawn into the phone.

"Well, I was calling to see if you wanted to get together today and work more on our alibis?"

"This morning? Edward, we're not meeting with the CEO of the Schwartz firm at nine o'clock!"

"I realize that, but we haven't even discussed what we're going to say or do. We have to make this believable. I mean, we're practically strangers."

"So what are you saying?"

"Meet me at seven o'clock? At St. Clare Park? I'll buy you breakfast…"

My breath caught, but then I mentally slapped myself. _He's just being nice. Darn_.

"Okay, thanks." St. Clare Park was a nice little park only a few blocks from my house. I could walk.

"Cool. I know this great little place not too far from the park. I guess I'll see you then. Bye, Bella." I said goodbye and we both hung up.

I moaned and threw off the covers_. _I got up and raided my closet to find something suitable to wear. I was "married" now- 'Grownup clothes' today. I finally managed to dig out the short navy dress that supposedly brought out the brown in my eyes- which, funnily enough, Edward's older sister Alice had bought for me. _Hmm._ Dark tan heels, and…the Prada bag I had gotten last year for Christmas. After digging out my underclothes from my overstuffed dresser, I threw my fashion choices on an armchair in the corner of my room and skipped to the bathroom.

I hadn't realized how tense I was until I stepped in the shower. The hot water immediately started working out the knots in my back. _Well, it's not every day your crush proposes…_ I took special care in shaving my legs, and probably used more conditioner on my hair than necessary. I stepped out of the shower and quickly toweled off. I had spent more time in there than I originally intended.

I got dressed and wondered what to do with my hair. I was rather proud of it. It was long, falling to the middle of my back and it was a nice shade of chocolate brown. I had never colored it, to the envy of my friends. I blow dried it and used a roller brush to give it a slight wave. I knew I looked older when I left it down, so I just sprayed some hairspray on to keep it from losing its volume.

I lightly spritzed some perfume on, and did my makeup, taking care not to smudge my mascara. After putting on my pearl earrings and slipping on my shoes, I looked in the mirror. I couldn't really notice a difference, but I looked good, and frankly, that was all that mattered.

I went downstairs and opened my laptop that was sitting on my desk in my study. I responded to a few emails and typed up a little note to send to my colleagues explaining that I would be working from home for the next few months. I prayed they wouldn't get suspicious. I normally worked from home, but I still needed to check in every once in a while at the main office to make sure things were going smoothly. I looked at the little clock hanging on the wall above me. It was only 6:49. I needed to leave my house in five minutes and I still had more than two hours before we had to meet with the CEO. Darn Edward for waking me up so early. Hopefully a leisurely breakfast would put him back in my good graces. I wasn't going to forget the past _that_ easily. I looked back to my laptop and saw that I had one new email.

It was from Edward.

I quickly opened it with more enthusiasm than I should have and began to read.

_Hey Bella, it's Edward._

_I wanted to send you what I had done of our back-story. Please feel free to change or add to it. I have to memorize this, and for good measure you probably should too, so if you could make sure the information is correct, that would be great. _

Oh, so now he was being nice? I wished he would give me a chance to catch up with his mood swings.

_Name: Edward Anthony Cullen _

_Residence: 1721 Silver Birches Lane, Seattle WA_

_Age: 24 _

_Birth date: 6/20/1986_

_Parentage: Carlisle & Esme Cullen_

_College: University of Washington _

_Graduate Year: 2009 _

_Married: 12/1/2009_

_Spouse: Isabella Marie Swan Cullen _

_Residence: 1721 Silver Birches Lane, Seattle WA_

_Age: 22_

_Birth date: 9/13/1988_

_Parentage: Charles and Renee Swan_

_College: University of Washington_

_Graduate Year: 2010_

_Married: 12/1/2009 _

_We can talk about the more 'personal' aspects of our relationship today. I'll see you soon._

_Edward A. Cullen_

It was a little creepy that he knew so much about me. Everything looked good to me, but... this was just the junk that was going on his resume. What about the personal questions? That was going to be an _awkward_ conversation.

During the time I had remaining I did some laundry and sorted through the small pile of files on my desk. I also made a phone call to my best friend, Angela. Even though we talked on a regular basis, I hadn't gathered up the courage to tell her about Edward's proposal and what it entailed. Granted, I had only found out last night, but I needed to call her before I went out traipsing with Edward.

I made a mental note to ask Edward just how confidential this assignment was. It would be hard to keep a secret this big from Angela. She knew what Edward had done (or rather, hadn't done) to me eleven years ago, and I had a feeling that she would be less than friendly towards him if she met him. I knew I would never hear the end of it from her. I needed to get used to the idea before I talked anyone else into accepting the unorthodox situation, if Edward said it was okay, that is.

I prayed Angela wouldn't find out. I could only hope she wouldn't come by the house too often when I wasn't there. I didn't want her to think that I was avoiding her, when I was really out with Edward. I hated having to lie to my best friend, and I didn't want to ruin my friendship with my only real friend from high school.

I dialed her number at five to seven, praying she would be awake. The park was two blocks from my downtown apartment, and hopefully the call to Angela would only take a minute. We could talk for hours if we weren't careful. I held the phone to my ear as it rang, and looked around my small house, making sure I had cleaned everything.

"Angela?" I asked when the phone finally stopped ringing.

"Bella! I just checked my email and got your note. Why aren't you going to be in the office? Are you finally going to visit your parents? Are you going on vacation? What is it?"

My best friend's bubbly voice floated through my phone. I froze. What was I going to tell her?

"Uh, I might visit them…but I just needed a little mini vacation. Ya know?" I said, thinking fast.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. It can get pretty tedious. Look, I can tell that you're not telling me everything, Miss, but it sounds like you gotta go. I'm kidnapping you for lunch this week. Got it?"

I sighed in defeat.

"Of course. I'm looking forward to it, Ang."

We talked for about twenty more seconds before we said our goodbyes and hung up. It was now 6:57. I eagerly gathered up my coat and purse, along with a small notebook, just in case I needed it. I made sure all my doors and windows were locked before stepping outside and locking my front door.

I walked down the brick steps of my porch, and opened my old tin mailbox. I had forgotten to pick up my regular mail yesterday. I quickly sifted through the small stack of envelopes. A few bills, a few advertisements, including lawn care, pizza delivery, and toothpaste. I also had one personal letter from a colleague at work. I stuffed the letter and bills in my purse, and let the other things sit in the mailbox.

My stomach was growling as I walked along the sidewalk, and I hoped that Edward had picked out a suitable place to eat. It was nice and sunny outside, with a slight breeze. It couldn't have been more than seventy-five degrees outside. I enjoyed it, knowing that come November, the weather would turn impossibly cold and I would not be able to step outside without a jacket on.

I arrived at the park, and scanned the area for Edward, I found him seated on a bench, staring into space. I had to admit, being "married" to this guy was not exactly a bad thing. He was wearing what had to be a very expensive suit and he smelled like Burburry's latest cologne. He smiled at me and I could swear his eyes widened slightly. I hadn't had my hair down yesterday and I had been wearing very casual clothes then. But then I had to remind myself of two things.

_Remember, he's not really interested in you. This is just business_.

He smiled up at me as I approached him and said, "Hey! How are you? You look stunning." I blushed.

"I'm fine, thanks. You don't look too bad yourself. How was your night?"

"It was uneventful. I cannot wait until my mattress arrives, though. That air bed was awful. My feet stuck out."

Because Edward was from out of town, he had been staying at the house he had been renting _for us_ while he completed his mission. Then he would go back home- to, well, wherever he lived. I still knew almost nothing about him. It had been so long since we had seen each other, and the last time we did did not coincide with pleasant memories.

I giggled. "That's a shame. I'm starving. Where are we going for breakfast?"

"Oh, right. There's a little café is only a few blocks from here. I could really use something to eat too. Let's go."

He stood up, and began to walk down one of the many paths in the park. We walked side by side, talking about trivial things. There were questions I was dying to ask him, but the seriousness nature of them was not suited for a casual morning breakfast.

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**AN: The only false part of the back story Edward sent Bella was his college information. He really doesn't want the Schwartz firm to find out that he majored in criminal science (or whatever) at Stanford. But everything else is true, so that he is as genuine as possible. The Schwartz firm doesn't like a lot of drama. So they're not going to harm Edward or Bella's family and risk exposing themselves further. They'll just deal**

**with the lying lovebirds quickly and quietly. Eck. :)**

**We'll soon start picking up the pace. I'm just having too much fun with the cliffies. BTW, longest chapter so far! **

**Random Dramatic Comedy**** brought up a good point- Bella's a bad liar.... hmm. Can she keep this deadly secret? And is she as perfect for the part as Edward thinks? Does anyone else find it odd that he couldn't find anyone to play his wife (in Chapter Three)? **_**Plus**_**- Bella's clumsy and still hates his guts!**

**Thanks also for the Fireproof reviews. That was wonderful. I have a new poll up, which will determine how quickly I update each story. Please go vote for your favorite. **

**Any suggestions for 'personal' questions? I'm thinking along the lines of where they went on their honeymoon, favorite food, color, etc. They're going to have to know a lot of stuff about each other if they want to pull off being a married couple. **


	5. My Favorite Things

Chapter Five

_My Favorite Things_

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I had been so busy looking at his face and talking that I didn't watch the pavement in front of me. There was a crack in the sidewalk, and I tripped, only to be caught by his strong arms. I blushed, incredibly embarrassed, and he chuckled. He set me back on my feet, but his left hand was left tightly entwined in my right. I saw that he was wearing his fake wedding band. It too, was made out of platinum, and matched my ring perfectly. My heart skipped a beat and I flushed. He looked at me curiously, but didn't say anything.

We soon arrived at the café. The building was made of brick, and it was wedged between a clothing store and a newspaper office. The sign above it read 'Boulangeire' –French for "bakery". The little place looked like it had been there for years. We stepped inside, and the room smelled so good. Coffee, chocolate, baking bread…and Edward still hadn't let go of my hand. I didn't mind. He gave me a minute to study the menu above the counter.

"Know what you want?" he asked, smiling. _Yes…you…just you…_

"Yes." _Get a grip, Swan._

We stepped up to the counter. There was a pretty brunette girl behind the register. Looking up, she saw Edward and quickly flashed him a too bright smile. I stiffened, instantly jealous.

"Hi! I'm Jessica! What can I get _you_ today?" She didn't even look at me, all her attention focused on my fake husband. I unthinkingly clutched his hand harder.

He turned to me.

"Why don't you go first, honey?" _Honey?_ _Heck yes. Take that, Jessica. _

I smiled at him, thankful he had chosen to be 'in character'. I looked at Jessica, noticing that her smile had vanished when Edward had said the word 'honey'.

"I'll have a small latte, not too sweet, and a _honey_ wheat bagel with strawberry cream cheese."

She quickly typed into the register in front of her, and turned to my 'husband'.

"And for you?"

"Black coffee and a chocolate croissant."

She typed into the register again before saying, "Okay…that'll be seven dollars and forty five cents." Edward handed her his black American Express card.

"I don't need a receipt, thanks."

She gave him his card back and he led me over to the end of the long counter while we waited for our order.

I faced him, saying, "Thanks."

He grinned and said, "Don't worry about it. I told you I would buy you breakfast." He took both of my hands in his and looked into my eyes.

"This is my party. Please don't feel like you need to pay for anything. I'm the one who asked you to help me with this crazy thing. I still can't believe you said yes to all this. I really don't want you to have to worry about any of this. In fact, I took the liberty of getting you your own card. I added it to my account. It should be here in a few days. I figured you might need it. In case you need something."

I was floored. This was unbelievable. I was sure my face would be permanently red.

"Edward, this is too much. I couldn't-"

He shook his head.

"No, it's not. Oh, here's our order."

He let go of my hands, and handed me my coffee and bagel, then grabbed his own breakfast and guided me out the door. I mourned the loss of his touch, but the moment I had my breakfast, I thought of nothing else except the warm bagel in my hands.

We walked back the way we came, enjoying our breakfasts. He took a sip of his coffee before speaking.

"Bella, we're practically strangers all over again. So much time and space has passed between us. Tell me about yourself. Likes, dislikes, habits?"

He was trying to be nice, and I wasn't going to thwart his attempt. After all, he _was_ behaving, _and_ he brought me breakfast.

"Um, I like a lot of music, except for country. My favorite color is ivory, I hate tomatoes, and I tend to twirl my fingers in my hair when I'm thinking or when I'm nervous. What about you?"

"I don't like country either, but anything else I can tolerate. _My_ favorite color is blue, and I dislike anchovies. I have a tendency to run my hands through my hair when I'm nervous. What about your hobbies? What do you do for fun?"

It took me a minute to answer, seeing as I was busily studying his beautiful face. I cleared my throat.

"I like to paint, actually. It really relaxes me. I also like reading the old classics-"

"Like Wuthering Heights?"

How had he known? I gave him a confused look.

"It was, uh, in your living room last night. The um, same copy you carried around school. You must really love that story. I've never had the patience with it. The characters are too frustrating."

I laughed shakily, a little unnerved that he had noticed not only the book, but the fact that I had indeed taken it to school more times than not.

"You're right, I still am pretty attached to that book,. What about you? Still playing the piano?"

It was his turn to look surprised.

"Yes, I do actually. I'm shocked you remembered that. I do play the piano in my limited spare time, and I've begun trying to write my own music. I also like going out to the small clubs and cafes around town and listening to the various musicians play for entertainment. There are some great little places in this area for dinner and drinks; we should go sometime."

Was he asking me out? Ha-ha, my 'husband' was going to ask me to go on a date.

"I'd love that. Last time I lived here, I was too young to drink and all that, so I don't really know any good places to go."

We kept walking, pausing only to throw our empty coffee cups into a recycling can. We slowly walked along a dirt trail, listening to children play and various birds chirp and sing. I became conscious of the fact that I knew almost nothing about the man walking beside me, and I should probably get to know him a little better before the interview that was less than an hour away. But where to begin? There was so much we didn't know about each other. I suddenly felt a little anxious. I voiced this to Edward. He looked at me, and spoke seriously.

"It's all very simple. Remember, it's just business. Whatever happens, nothing's personal. I seem to remember, you were in a lot of the school plays, weren't you?"

"Yes." _He had noticed?_

"Okay, then you know that it's really just acting. You were Juliet in Romeo & Juliet, weren't you?"

"Yep. And Tyler Crowley was-"

"Romeo. How can you forget a guy like that?" he shuddered. Tyler was… an unusual guy. "…but you didn't actually like Taylor, Juliet did. It's all acting. It doesn't mean anything."

_Is he trying to reassure me, or himself?_

"I know. So what are we supposed to do?"

"Well, we'll rehearse as long as it takes. Really, just follow my lead. I'm going to have to give him my résumé, as part of the act. Did you read the copy I sent?"

"Yes, It looked really good. No mistakes from my end. Silver Birches Lane, huh?"

He smiled.

"Yeah. It's a rented house up in suburban Seattle. Good location. And I figured I might as well stretch the marriage date to almost one year instead of almost one day."

I smiled at his little joke. I was afraid that the whole situation would be too tense. He was beginning to prove me wrong.

"Well, all I can say is that this had better work, or… we'll be in serious trouble. I never pegged myself as the spy type. Are you sure you picked the right girl?"

He chuckled.

"I know it will. Just follow my lead. And I know I picked the right girl. Don't doubt that. So… um, the CEO, I think his name is Demetri Schwartz, gonna ask us some questions- ah, personal stuff."

"How personal?"

"Like um, where we went on our honeymoon, how we met, future plans, you know…"

"Jeez, Edward, you haven't thought this one out too well, have you?"

I could swear he blushed.

"Hey; it's fake. We could say we went to Fiji on our honeymoon, if that's what you want."

"I'm not really a tropical kind of girl. See how pale I am? I burn easily. No beaches for me. So that rules out Fiji."

He laughed.

"Okay, no Fiji. What about Europe? Italy, Prague, Denmark, and Sweden are all nice. Monaco too. France is also nice, but a honeymoon in Paris? A little too cliché for me."

"I agree. I like Denmark. I went to Copenhagen once. It was very beautiful. We can say we went there."

"What about our future plans? I'm supposed to be an architect. I guess I could say I want to have my own company one day."

"That's good. Hmm, I edit novels, but really that's not what I'm planning to do the rest of my life." I blushed. I seemed to be doing a lot of that lately.

He looked at me questioningly. "What are you planning to do?" I knew he wasn't talking about the back-story.

I blushed again. "I'd like to meet someone, maybe have some children." My career was finally stable enough that I was ready to begin a new chapter in my life- getting married (to someone I actually loved) and starting a family, even though I didn't have much experience with children whatsoever.

"Oh," he said, his voice suddenly flat, "Well, you'll make an excellent mother. You were a great mother to our baby."

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**AN: Gasp! Did Bella forget to mention **_**something**_**? I wish I could see all the confused looks on your faces right now. **

**Oh, your dear author had two brain fails in regards to this story. Some of you know that this story is based off of an original fic I wrote, and so some of the details are a little off. **

**Bella is 25. Edward is 27. It is currently Monday, February 2****nd****, 2010. I'll change all the incorrect dates later. Ugh. Sometimes I forget which version I'm working on, and it's hard to keep all the facts straight.**

**Thank you for all the great suggestions! I still need more personal questions! :)**

**Please, leave me some love if you haven't before! I love reading all your comments on this story, and I am open to any and all suggestions or ideas you guys come up with. It's ****your**** story- what do you want to see?**

**Thank you all for reviewing! I do try to reply to them, but sometimes I forget :( I won't forget this time, though- I do have a ****teaser**** for your review, because not everyone has Facebook or Twitter. **

**How'd you like the whole Jessica thing?**


	6. For Reals

Chapter Six

_For Reals_

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"Granted, Ella was a doll, but…" he trailed off.

I couldn't believe he remembered that. When we were little, we had played house often. Edward was the daddy, and I was the mommy. We were the proud parents of a baby doll (christened Ella- a mixture of Bella and Edward) that I had received for my fifth birthday. I was touched he had remembered those tender moments we shared, and I was shocked by my sudden desire to have a child (or a few) with Edward for real. I instantly chastised myself for that. Our little charade was nothing more than a business transaction, and he _had_ broken my heart.

He mistook my silence for displeasure. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought up the past."

I shook my head. "No; it's alright. But Edward, we will need to talk about what happened all those years ago. As painful as it is for me, it needs to be addressed so when this is all over, we'll be able to part with no hard feelings."

He nodded. "Yes, I'd like to talk about it. And what happened is painful for me too. I can't believe I treated my best friend like that. It was so uncalled for. I don't think we should talk about it right now. Maybe in a more private setting. But if I don't say this now, I will explode.

Bella, I owe you an apology. I owe you so much more than that, but an apology is definitely the first thing. I've been such a jerk, and the fact that I waited so many years to apologize is deplorable. I had no good reason to break off our friendship."

"Why did you?"

"It's stupid."

"Tell me."

He sighed.

"I just…I…I wanted to be one of the 'cool kids' so badly, and when I told my peers at school that I was friends with a middle school girl, they looked down on me. And Lauren, I wanted to impress her, so she would like me, and believe it or not, she was jealous of you and our friendship. She told me if I ever wanted a relationship with her, that I needed to break it off with you. It's stupid, but it's the truth. So… I ended our friendship. And I know I broke your heart. I hated myself for causing you so much pain. That was probably the stupidest thing I've ever done. I'll never forget that day. Hurting you just so I could fit in…" he said sadly.

I had suspected that this was the reason, but the fact that he was so torn up about it touched me. I wasn't completely satisfied, though.

"Why now? Why did you wait so long? I'm not mad, I just…" I trailed off.

"I guess…I don't know. I was afraid. Of what would happen if I apologized but you didn't want me as a friend. Or what the guys at school would say to me. I really wanted some male companionship. I don't have any brothers, you know. Not that that is an excuse for my bad behavior." He clarified, glancing sideways at me.

"I don't expect you to forgive me, now or ever, but please know I meant every word I said, and I will do whatever it takes to rebuild our friendship."

I looked away, not knowing what to say. I felt a few tears make their appearance, and I couldn't help it. This long awaited for apology had touched a part of me that I locked away when Edward and I stopped being friends. I realized that I hadn't said I had forgiven him. I couldn't say it, just yet. I could tell he was truly sorry, but the fact that he had let it go on so long was unsettling. I was however, encouraged that he wanted to rekindle our relationship. We would need to at least be friends if we were going to pretend to be a married couple.

I wiped away the few tears that had fallen, and faced him. "Thank you, Edward. I can't say I forgive you just yet, but I am very happy that you want to give our friendship another try. I too, am willing to give us another shot."

He nodded in agreement. He glanced at his watch, eyes slightly widening when he saw the time.

"Wow, I didn't realized we had talked for so long. Its eight fifteen, and we still have one more errand to run before we meet the the CEO at nine."

I didn't realize the time either. It had gone by so fast. "You're right, we should get going. What errand, Edward?"

"We have to go to the court house. Do you know the quickest way? I've never been."

"The courthouse?"

"I don't do things halfway, Bella." His eyes were suddenly intense.

I felt all the air in my lungs leave my body.

"_What_?"

"Jeez, Bella. I didn't think you would be so adverse to marrying me. You are wearing my ring, after all. And, you promised me.... twenty years ago, if I recall."

I wanted so badly to smack him but I couldn't move.

"You mean... this marriage thing... is for real?" He had to be joking.

"Well, yes, Bella. But I promise, as soon as Mr. Schwartz is back on his plane to Belgium, we'll get an annulment."

"You're awfully big of yourself, Cullen. What's my boyfriend going to say when I tell him I'm marrying another man?"

He paled. "Wh- what? Bella, if you have a boyfriend... then, well... this complicates..."

I snickered, and his features relaxed, but his sparkling eyes held a tinge of annoyance.

"Oh, Edward, your face. Priceless. I don't have a boyfriend, so chill out. All I'm saying is that you shouldn't just assume that I'm just here for your disposal. I have a job, I have a social life, and my dad's in law enforcement. I'd like to know how you're going to keep the marriage of his only daughter from him."

"Don't worry, Bella. I'll have our marriage certificate sealed. No one but us and who ever marries us will be able to access it. Your Dad will never know. I'm sorry- I didn't mean to step on your toes, I've just been really frazzled with moving and trying to get settled."

Oh. Of course. I didn't understand why it was so difficult for a single man to move from one city to the next, especially when he was used to that sort of thing and the fact that it was only temporary. But I resolved not to pry into his personal life. I wasn't going to get attached all over again.

That train of thought led me to some unsettling questions. Did he have a girlfriend? Did he have any friends at all? In his line of work, he couldn't really have deep relationships with too many people... and I still wanted so badly to find out what he had been up to while we had been apart. He could really be married for all I knew. But if he was, then wouldn't what we were about to do be considered bigamy? And that was illegal... I chewed on my lip, lost in my musings. I didn't know whether to be elated or furious.

"The courthouse, Bella? I don't mean to be rude, but we don't have a lot of time."

_Tell him the way to the courthouse, Bella. You're finally going to get married to him. _

"The courthouse is on 6th street. Less than five minutes away." I sounded like a preprogrammed GPS system.

He held out his hand. "Well then, shall we go? Where's your car? I'll follow you."

I blushed crimson. "Uh, well, I walked here."

He didn't seem fazed. "Oh. Well, would you like a lift?"

I giggled, in spite of myself. "Um, sure."

He waved his other hand to the parking lot. "Right this way, milady."

I daintily took his hand, and let him lead me into the gravel lot. "Thank you, kind sir."

We walked down one row of cars before he led me to a silver Volvo, which had to be the newest edition. I was no vehicle guru, but this car was _nice_. He helped me into the passenger seat, and I stared at him as he walked around to the driver's seat. _Stalker much, Isabella?_

He got in and started the car, and I gave him more specific directions to our destination. I kept my eyes straight ahead, not daring to look around me, or at him. It was too weird, to be in his car, going to get _married_.

Married. That scared me, even if it was totally fake. I had a slight problem with commitment. My last boyfriend had really done a number on me, and the fact that I was going to marry the man who broke my heart was a little much. I took deep, calming breaths, determined not to hyperventilate, throw up, or pass out in his expensive car.

We arrived, much too quickly for my liking, at the brick building that sealed my fate. Edward practically ran around the car to open my door for me. He was too cute. None of my boyfriends had been so chivalrous, but neither had any of them had Esme Cullen for a mother.

We walked into the courthouse, and we saw a small office door with a brass nameplate tacked onto it that read, 'Licenses'. Edward firmly rapped on the door, and gave me a reassuring smile, before the door was opened. A trim though slightly nerdy looking man looked up at us, a gentle smile on his face. He gestured for us to come inside, and we sat down stiffly in two hard leather chairs that faced an oak desk, the centerpiece of the small room.

"Welcome, my name's Eric. Eric Yorkie. What can I do for you guys today?" He asked politely, before settling himself at his desk.

"We'd like to purchase a marriage license." Edward stated, his hand suddenly covering mine.

_Possessive much? _

Eric smiled. "Ah, congratulations." He opened a drawer and pulled out a piece of paper. He pulled an ink pen from a small container that stood next to his computer, and clicked it.

"Name, for you, sir?"

"Edward Anthony Cullen."

Eric swiftly wrote on the ivory paper, and turned to me.

"And for you, miss?"

"Isabella Marie Swan."

He continued to write, asking questions.

"Date of birth?"

"Current residence?"

And so on. Edward asked him to put our marriage date as December the first, of last year, saying that we had eloped then. Eric was more than happy to comply, but I felt sick inside.

Another lie.

Eric finished writing, and asked us both to sign the paper, reminding me that I needed to sign it as Isabella Cullen.

I did, and writing my new name sent a queer shiver through my body. Eric stamped the paper with a seal and put the document into a zipped file folder.

"Well, congratulations, you two! You may now kiss the bride," Eric said jokingly.

I looked at Edward in horror. He froze, but his expression was unreadable. I had no idea what he was thinking.

Did he want to kiss me? Of course not. He was probably thinking about how to gracefully extract himself from this awkward situation. I, on the other hand, was thankful I had popped in a breath mint a moment ago. Edward seemed to reach a decision in his mind, and leaned slightly forward, but...

"Or- or not," Eric stammered, sensing the awkwardness. "I was just, ah-" he chuckled nervously.

_Drat you, Eric, that was my last mint too. _

Then he turned professional, although he was as red as his shirt.

"Ahem. Well, the only people who know you're married are you, me and God. If at any time you'd like to receive a copy of your certificate, or unseal it, just come back and let me know. Other than that, we're all done here."

Edward wrote him a check for his services, and we both thanked him, before walking out of the office and into the morning sunshine.

Once again, he opened my door for me, and I smiled inwardly. He got in, and programmed his GPS for an office building in downtown Seattle.

Feeling much more comfortable, even though I was now a married woman who was still un-kissed (honestly, why did I even want something like _that_ with Edward?), I allowed myself a glance around his car. The dashboard and console were free of dust and small trash, unlike my car. I could have sworn the steering wheel was polished, and there was no loose change or empty coffee cups anywhere to be found.

Now I had new incentive to clean out my car. Edward Cullen's was spotless.

Edward's phone began to beep, and he answered it, mouthing "Sorry" while he talked in low tones with whoever was on the other line. I took advantage of his new distraction to glance at the backseat of the car.

I was a little surprised by the stark contrast.

The backseat was littered with assorted toys, crayons, something that once resembled a coloring book, a teddy bear, half of what must have been a McDonald's happy meal, and a small pink tutu, complete with ballet slippers.

I don't even know how I missed the black and white- "cow print"- car seat that sat directly behind Edward's chair.

I had thought that involving little old me in this dangerous scheme was bad enough. Now, apparently, there was a child involved too.

Figures he wouldn't tell me until after I married him.

_Technically, Isabella, he didn't tell you. You snooped. _

If this wasn't illegal, than it certainly was downright unethical. I didn't know Edward Cullen as well as I thought I did. The Edward I knew...

Then I realized something. There wasn't an Edward I knew. He was right; we were strangers all over again. Maybe he had no problem with renting a wife and child. Maybe he had done it before and was unfazed by it.

But to in involve a little kid in such a life threatening situation... didn't he realize?

I was so confused. I had to know.

I turned to face him and forgot to keep my voice down, even though he was on the phone.

"You rented a kid too?!"

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**AN: I'm sorry. I love cliffhangers way too much. But they are legally married now! **

**We got an apology from Edward, but Bella didn't quite forgive him. They're not fully reconciled yet. Edward's going to have to prove himself worthy, but they are on the path to friendship! :) **

**Thank you for all the sweet reviews, it made me so happy. I have teaser for this chapter too, if you review! :)**

**And what kind of man rents a kid?! Edward has a lot of explaining to do. Is he really as heartless as Bella thinks he is? He's definitely freaked Bella out, and how convenient that she notices all the little kid stuff in his backseat AFTER they get married. What is going on?!! **

**Oh, and Eric tried to get in a kiss for you all, but Edward took too long :(**


	7. Like Pretty Girls Need Cowboys

Chapter Seven

_Like Pretty Girls Need Cowboys_

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Edward nearly ran the car off the road, I had startled him so badly. He dropped his cell phone, and jerked the steering wheel to the right, pulling us off to the shoulder. He sat rigidly in his seat, eyes squeezed shut, fingers gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles were white and I was afraid it was going to snap in half.

"Isabella," he breathed through clenched teeth, "was that really necessary?"

He left the phone on the floor, the person on the other line was squawking angrily, but I couldn't identify what they were saying. Nor did I want to. I was too terrified to move. Edward was angry.

Not even married ten minutes and I'm about to have my first fight. With my husband.

But out of the corner of my eye I spotted the car seat and I was angry too.

"Okay, I shouldn't have yelled-"

"_Thank_ you," he cut in smugly.

"But, Edward, what are you thinking? You can't drag a kid into this, what are her- I'm guessing it's a her, by the tutu, of course- parents thinking? Letting their kid participate in a life threatening situation?!"

Rigid Edward was back and I feared for the steering wheel.

"Her father is fine with it," He muttered darkly, glaring down at his hands.

How could any man let his little girl partake in something like this?

"He told you this, himself?"

"He didn't need to." Edward's voice was cold, and clipped.

He reached up and procured a small stack of what looked to be like wallet sized photographs, held together by a paper clip, from the sun visor. He tossed the small packet into my lap, then buried his head in his hands.

I stared at the first photograph the packet held, praying my eyes were deceiving me. It was of a slightly younger looking Edward, holding a very small baby wrapped in a pink blanket. The baby's eyes were closed, but the small curls of bronze hair on her head made it clear that Edward was her father. I had never seen such joy in his eyes, and it unnerved me.

"Meet Esme Elizabeth Cullen," Edward said hoarsely, his face still covered by his too- pale hands. "Seven pounds, five ounces. Twenty inches in length. February fourteenth, two thousand and five."

I gasped, and quickly flipped though the other pictures, my heart slamming into my chest with each new one I saw.

The photographs varied, but in every one, the baby grew from newborn to toddler, until the last picture I held was that of a little girl, the exact female copy of Edward, in the teeny ballerina suit that lay on the floor of his car, holding a bouquet of pink roses in one arm, and her Daddy's hand in the other.

Edward had a four- well, five in two weeks- year old daughter. But where was her mother?

I flipped anxiously back through the photos, while Edward remained motionless in the driver's seat, but the only faces I saw in the still frames were those of him and his little girl.

Esme Elizabeth Cullen. He had named her after his mother. And grandmother. Just like he always said he would. Except that he told me it would be _our_ baby (the real one, not Ella) who would receive the treasured name. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Little Edward, at seven years old, had already had his first child's name picked out. There was no room in his mind for doubt that his first child wouldn't be a girl.

He had gotten one of his dearest wishes.

And I, in some twisted, and admittedly fake way, had gotten mine.

I was just a little sad that my first child wasn't going to have that name. Edward had already begun living his dream. I was too late for it.

I knew this had been a mistake. One quick turn around would have our fifteen minute old marriage annulled. I began to panic. This wasn't fair. To Edward, to his baby girl, to me. I couldn't do this.

But backing out now was no longer an option. I had given my word to Edward, and would stand by it.

I would pretend. Pretend to be the loving wife, and... now, I guessed, nurturing mother that the Schwartz company expected to see, if only for a short time. I would do my job well. Without emotional attachment, of course. I would be what was expected of me.

For once in my life, I had to be a good liar. That was easier said than done. But I was nothing but obedient.

I neatly clipped the photos back together, and looked over at the man beside me. He was shaking slightly.

"Edward?"

He didn't move. I reached over, and tugged on his sleeve.

"Edward, she's beautiful."

He froze, and lifted his head up to look at me.

"What?"

I repeated my earlier statement, earnestly pleading.

His wan face suddenly broke into a smile, and he took the photographs from my hands, fingering them lovingly.

"I knew you were the one." He said softly, looking at me, his liquid emerald eyes betraying an emotion I hadn't seen in them before.

"What?" Only Edward Cullen could render me incapable of anything but monosyllabic phrases.

"Bella, _this_," he stabbed his forefinger on the first picture of his baby girl for emphasis, "is why I chose you. I didn't lie to you when I said there weren't any other women suitable for the job I've asked you to do. There weren't any other women who could do this job as well as you could. Sure, they were pretty. But you... you're beautiful. Sure, they're smart. But you're wise. And sure, they're nice. But Bella, you're _kind_. I couldn't, and I wouldn't entrust my daughter to anyone but you. I'm sorry if this upsets you. In a way, I did lie to you, because I didn't tell you about Ellie."

I wanted to cry. _Ellie_. That was what he called her. He used to slip and call the baby doll Ellie when we were little- saying that Ella was too grown up for a baby. I sat motionless in my seat, cringing when the dashboard clock showed we only had twelve minutes until nine o' clock. I didn't know what to say. Or how to react.

_He trusts you, Bella. He trusts _you_. Let that be enough. _

I knew I wasn't going to run. I just needed to figure out how to place this new development in with the already precarious charade.

"Edward, I'm not upset."

He scoffed. "Bella, it's okay to be mad at me. I lied."

"Edward, really. I'm not mad. I just... need to figure this out. It's a lot to spring on a girl in twenty four hours," I chuckled nervously, "I mean, yesterday I was just Bella Swan, book editor, with not much of a social life, or anything, for that matter. But today? Today I'm Bella Cullen. And Bella Cullen has a lot more responsibility than Bella Swan has ever had. Just give me time to process, Edward. That's all I'm asking, okay?"

He nodded assent, and nothing more was said until we reached our destination.

Edward helped me out of my seat, and the valet took his car, while we walked into the office building, ready to seal our fate.

–

"Mr. Schwartz will see you now," the platinum blonde secretary chirped, waving us towards the glass and oak door.

Edward stood slowly, a little stiff from sitting so long. Demetri Schwartz was apparently notorious for going overtime in meetings. Edward kept his hand firmly twined in mine, like he was afraid to let go, for fear I'd disappear. The poor man was still stressed out over the whole car ride.

I'd just have to prove I wasn't going to walk out on him, if that was what he was so afraid of.

It was none of my business, but I couldn't help but wonder, did Ellie's mother walk out on him? Was that why she was no longer around? Or had she been killed? I tried to think back to high school, especially senior year, re-analyzing Edward's old girlfriends. None of them seemed to be the motherly type, but then again, not many eighteen year olds are. It was no use trying to match Ellie's looks with any of theirs- the Cullen gene was definitely dominant, and it had certainly won out in Ellie's case. Anyone with reasonably light skin could have been her mother.

I remembered that the Denali sisters (whom Edward dated exclusively junior year) all had pale complexions, but then again, Lauren Mallory was light too- under all the fake tan spray, I'm sure.

Demetri Schwartz's office was like a tomb. I didn't like it, and stayed by Edward's side, not daring to separate myself from him. For an office in modern Seattle, the furnishings and various articles of furniture looked like they belonged in seventeenth century Europe. The huge windows were heavily swathed in red velvet drapes, with a wine colored rug on the floor to match. The ornate desk and bookshelves were made of heavy, dark oak, with just a hint of shine to them. Mr. Schwartz seemed fond of gargoyles, as well as dull colored oil paintings and sketches.

The office made sense, once a person saw the sort of buildings this man designed, but it was so atypical to what I was expecting that I couldn't help but feel spooked.

"Mr. Cullen?" A deep voice asked, drawing my attention to the left corner of the room, where a man in a dark suit faced the windows.

"Please, Edward," Edward said, stopping just before the desk.

The man turned, and smiled broadly, although his smile would hardly pass for being friendly. The man had a swarthy dark complexion, with cropped black hair and startlingly white teeth. He motioned for us to sit, and he settled himself in a plush leather seat across from us.

"So, Edward, I know you were expecting my brother, Demetri. Unfortunately, he got held up with business back home, and was not able to make this meeting. I'm Marcus Schwartz, his brother. And who is this?" he asked, gesturing to me.

Edward smiled, and squeezed my hand tightly. "This is my wife, Bella."

Marcus' smile grew even wider, and I shrank back into my seat, terrified. I had no idea why I was so frightened of a complete stranger, but there was something about Marcus that I didn't like.

"Ah, Bella. Nice to meet you. You did good, Edward. Such a pretty girl."

Edward nodded his head in affirmation, but his jaw was clenched and I knew he was riled about something.

Maybe I wasn't the only one getting bad vibes off of Marcus.

Our meeting with Marcus was short. He said he really wasn't in the position to interview Edward, since his brother was the one who would be hiring Edward.

Technically, Edward already was hired, but Demetri Schwartz wanted to make sure he had the right man for the job. It was a big account he was handing over to Edward, and I guessed that he wanted to get to know Edward a little more. He had seen Edward, the businessman, and now he wanted to see Edward, the family man.

The whole thing was so screwed up. It was all lies. And so dangerous.

I sat in my seat, squeezing the heck out of Edward's hands as he discussed blueprints and floor plans with Marcus. We told him briefly of our personal life, Edward's face lighting up when he talked about Ellie. Marcus asked me what I did for a living, and I told him I edited novels, in addition to taking care of my daughter.

A daughter I knew absolutely nothing about.

I hadn't given much thought to having children. I knew I wanted them, and before I turned twelve, I thought I had wanted them with Edward. I knew I wanted a little boy and a little girl- I wasn't sure if I could handle more than two. I had no experience with children, and I was a little on edge as to how I would handle things, playing the role of mother to Ellie. I was suddenly desperate to know what she was like. She looked like Edward, but what was her personality like? Any daughter of Edward's was sure to be spoiled, but would she be sweet or bratty? And _where_ was her mother?

I knew, if I was a mother, that I would want to know if my baby girl was being involved with something dangerous. Had Edward not told her? Or maybe she didn't care? Perhaps she was dead. Or estranged. But if she wasn't, how was Edward going to hide her role in his and his daughter's life from the Belgian firm?

As much as it scared me, knowing that our whole plan could be blown up if Edward or I made a false move, I had a feeling that we could make it work. I knew we could. It would just take a lot of effort. However, as we stepped out of Marcus' (or well, really Demetri's) frightening office, I couldn't help feeling a little shaken. If Marcus was that creepy, who knew what his brother would be like?

I wasn't going to have to wait long for my answer, though.

Demetri Schwartz would be coming to dinner at _our house_ on Friday night.

-------------------------------------------------------

**AN: Don't kill me for putting a kid in this fic. I think you'll come to love Ellie just as much as I do. Besides, she puts a whole new spin on the plot! And please keep in mind, this story is still much different than my other two- it actually **_**has**_** a plot! :)**

**As you can see, Bella is processing all the information she's been given and it's scary to her. **

**Don't forget the poll on my page and become a fan of me on Facebook! :)**

**So. We finally got to the meeting. What did you think? And Demetri's coming for dinner!**

**Oh- I have a job interview with Stride Rite (children's shoe store) in an hour- wish me luck! **


	8. Alfred Sauce

Chapter Eight

_Alfred Sauce_

--------------------------------------------

"Well, that was... well, it was just plain awkward, wasn't it?" I said, trying to smooth out the tense atmosphere while we made our way back to the car.

"Yes." Edward's face had a tell tale frown line etched into it, with a menacing glint in his eyes and a scowl to match.

"What's wrong with you?" I hated these mood swings he created.

"I don't appreciate other men ogling my wife. First _Mr_. Yorkie, now _Mr._ Schwartz. For goodness sake, Bella, button your dress further and stop encouraging them. I thought you agreed to help _me_. " He sneered as he opened the passenger door for me and practically shoved me inside the car.

"Excuse me?"

Who the heck did he think he was?!

"Edward, answer me! Do you honestly think I would _encourage_ those two creeps? I don't need them! I'm married to the hottest guy on the planet!"

For the second time in four hours, Edward Cullen nearly ran his precious Volvo off the road.

I instantly realized my slip of the tongue and clapped a hand over my mouth, knowing it was useless to try to hide the blush that was creeping up my neck.

For the fifth time in four hours, Edward Cullen smirked at me.

"My, my, Mrs. Cullen, you flatter me. Hottest guy on the planet, huh?"

"Did I say that? My mistake. Your maniac driving must be affecting my speech. What I meant to say was-"

"You know, people are often most honest when they are under stress. If my driving affects you the way you seem to think it does, then you really _do_ think of me like that. Again, I'm flattered. Mrs. Cullen, I'm liking this marriage even more by the minute. I should rile you up more often, if that is the kind of information I'm going to receive."

For the seventh time in four hours, I wanted to smack him.

"Just drive me home, Edward." I folded my arms across my chest and let my head fall against the smooth leather headrest. I was not going to fight with him further in verbal argument. I was too tired and annoyed to engage him in a battle of wits. I closed my eyes, wanting a moment of peace.

However, when I reopened them and the car stopped, I was not sitting in front of my modest duplex. Instead, I found myself staring at a stately brownstone house in one of the finest developments in Seattle.

"Edward, this is not my house. I want to go home."

"You are home, Mrs. Cullen," he said, turning off the car.

I groaned. "Edward, I want to go to Bella Swan's home,"

He chuckled. "She doesn't exist, remember?"

He was so infuriating.

"Edward, you know what I mean."

He sighed, and looked down at his hands.

"I told Ellie you were coming. She was really looking forward to meeting you. You don't have to stay, just come in for a minute, please?"

Blackmailing me with the kid. How cute. I stepped out of the car, and walked quickly up the pebbled , front walk, with Edward hurrying behind, running a hand through that stupid, gorgeous hair of his.

He beat me to the door, unlocking it with ease and ushering me inside. The gentleman raised by Esme was back, as he hung up my coat and asked me if I wanted anything to drink.

I was about to reply with a snarky remark when I was interrupted.

"Daddy? _Daddy_!" an excited, sweet little voice called out.

A little girl, who could only be Ellie came flying into the entryway, her arms extended, unruly bronze hair falling into her eyes. She had the biggest smile on her face, showcasing her small, milk white teeth and rosy lips. Her hazel eyes sparkled, and her little face was slightly flushed from excitement. Someone had taken the time to put an ivory bow in her hair, with a dress to match. She was barefoot, although her toe and fingernails were painted a light pink. That made me wonder if Edward gave out mani's and pedi's. Or that just could have been a baby sitter's doing. Regardless, she was even more adorable in real life, not just the pictures I had seen.

"Hi Princess," he said, just as eagerly.

Edward scooped her up, and hugged her close to his chest for a minute, before turning towards me.

"Baby, this is Daddy's friend, Bella," he said, gesturing to me.

"Hi, Ellie," I said, as nicely as I could.

She suddenly turned shy, and buried her face in Edward's neck, her thumb slipping into her mouth. Edward smiled crookedly at me before gently tugging Ellie's thumb away from her mouth.

"Remember, Ellie, we talked about this? And what did I say about the thumb?"

She nodded, and peeked at me though her thick eyelashes. "No thumb, Daddy. I'm a big girl. Hi Bella, you're my mommy, right?"

I gulped, not sure how to answer her question truthfully.

Edward sensed my discomfort. "Remember, Baby, what Daddy said? That Miss Bella was going to pretend to be your mommy? Like you pretend you're a princess?"

"Mhm," she said, playing with the buttons on his shirt. She looked up at me again, then cupped her little hands around one of Edward's ears, apparently not wanting me to hear the information she was going to disclose to her father.

"Daddy, she's pretty." Ellie whispered loudly, glancing at me again.

I blushed red.

Edward chuckled, and set his daughter down on the floor.

"Do you know if lunch is ready, princess?"

Ellie's little brow furrowed in thought, "Yes, I think so. Charlotte said we were having fettu- fetta-"

"Fettuccine?" Edward prompted.

Ellie's face lit up with understanding. "Yes! With Alfred sauce! Daddy, who is Alfred? And why did Charlotte make him into sauce?"

I stifled my laugh with a fake cough. Alfred sauce, indeed.

"You mean Alfredo sauce, honey?"

Ellie nodded. "But," she said sadly, "We have to have Brussel sprouts too. Yucky. Do you like Brussel sprouts, Miss Bella?" She had shyly tucked herself behind Edward, gripping his pant leg with her little fingers.

I guessed she wasn't very used to strangers.

"Well, they're not my favorite vegetable, but I eat them anyways."

Ellie seemed to process the information in her head, before deeming it valid. I didn't agree or disagree with her- I couldn't afford to end up on either Cullen's "bad side".

_Score one for Bella. _

Edward led me into his house, promising to give a tour after lunch. I wanted to remind him that I had never actually agreed to stay, but I was too enthralled with his darling daughter to care. His house, rented or not, was impeccably decorated, with modest but rich furnishings. The house had large windows, which let in gratuitous amounts of sunlight. Everything was white. From curtains to couches to the carpet. Surprisingly, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, not stark and cold, like a hospital.

The surprise came when Edward introduced me to his _staff._ The man had a nanny for Ellie, a cook/ housekeeper, a handy man, and a butler. Granted, it was only four people, but... it made me feel uncomfortable. I was not used to having people wait on me or anyone else.

Kate was a college student in her early twenties who oversaw Ellie's well being and education. She had bright red hair, a friendly smile, and a thing for the handyman, Garrett.

Garrett was also in his early twenties, and he was devoted to keeping the Cullen house and grounds in tip top shape. His curly brown hair and slight Irish accent made him quite endearing, and I could see why Kate was so attracted to him.

There was no doubt that it was Charlotte, the housekeeper, who ran the house. She was in her early fifties, and made sure that meals were prepared and served on time, and that the house was always neat and polished. She reminded me of a young grandmother, the way she doted on Ellie and made sure Edward got enough to eat.

Her husband Peter was the butler, and I really wasn't sure what his duties entailed. He was pretty spry for an older gentleman, and he knew a lot about flowers. Edward trusted him implicitly, and I was sure Peter was connected to Edward's job in some way.

I was also informed that a maid came on Mondays and Fridays to clean, and Edward had a private chauffeur. Being a CIA agent apparently paid off. More than a novel editor, anyways. My house was lucky if it got cleaned twice a month.

I met all four members of the _staff_, sans the maid and chauffeur, and they were very friendly and understanding. I guessed they were very close to Edward and Ellie, because they knew that I wasn't really Mrs. Cullen. Edward didn't mention his family at all, and no mention of Ellie's mother was made. Ellie lived with Edward full time, so either Ellie's mother was dead or not involved.

Peter _escorted_ (I could not get enough of this rich people thing- it was a bit much) us to the dining room table, and I wanted to run when I saw the saw the bowls of creamy Alfredo sauce sitting on top of the pristine white tablecloth. Everything was so... clean and neat. I felt that if I touched anything, it would break. These sort of set ups were like obstacles courses for the coordination impaired. I was President of that club.

Peter also held out my chair for me, and I slid into it as gracefully as possible, which was no easy feat. With my luck, the heel of my shoe would get caught in the rug and it would be curtains for Bella. Or really, Mrs. Cullen.

If a simple lunch with Edward and Ellie was so fraught with peril, how the heck was I going to survive dinner with Demetri?

Edward was all business during lunch, refreshing the finer points of our budding relationship with myself and Ellie. He made sure that Ellie knew we spent our fake honeymoon in Copenhagen, _not_ Disneyland. Apparently, Edward and I had been married for six years, vacationed in Europe every summer (any tropical place was out of the question- we were both too pale for that) and had no contact with our families whatsoever. The story was that neither of our parents approved of our marriage, and made it a point to cut us off.

For my family, nothing could be further from the truth. And that hurt. I loved my parents- they were all that I had. I looked up to them- I wanted what they had with each other. A good marriage, happy family, stable careers. I missed them already. I wondered what was really going on with Edward's parents. I hadn't heard from them in years, and Edward nor Ellie mentioned them. From what I remembered, Carlisle and Esme Cullen were the kindest, most supportive parents a child could have. I couldn't imagine them cutting any of their children out of their lives, especially Edward the Golden Boy.

I got the promised tour after lunch. Ellie was much more social once she got some excellent Alfredo (minus the Brussels sprouts- Charlotte was going to have a fantastic time getting those green stains out of the carpet- Ellie kept throwing them under the table when Edward wasn't looking) in her system. She eagerly dragged me up the stairs, bubbling over with enthusiasm while she showed me her room, and every other room in the house, including the three linen closets.

Edward rescued me halfway through, and led me back downstairs. He gave me a set of house keys, the pass code for the alarm system, and a small but detailed map of his house, lest I get lost. I half expected him to laugh and tear up the map, claiming it was a joke, but he was perfectly serious, even showing me where the two emergency exits were. I left his house feeling slightly dazed and overwhelmed.

I spent the rest of my days of the work week at Edward's house, going over every minute detail of the 'plan'. Slowly, we were becoming a believable family. Ellie and I 'rehearsed' together, memorizing her favorite foods and best friends, etc. I knew her favorite color, animal, flower, you name it. She had taken well to calling me Mommy, but I still had trouble adjusting to having a fake daughter. I didn't like living a fantasy that was so close to my dreams. It seemed harsh.

I also got to know Edward a little better too, although it didn't surprise me that his favorite things hadn't changed a bit since high school. Underneath all the fancy trim, he was still the steady, studious Edward I had grown up with. He, in turn, knew me inside and out, and it was the little things he remembered about me that blew me away. I had never thought he actually paid attention to me after our falling out. As nice as it was to reconnect, there was so much information to take in before Friday that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to handle it all.

I got a mini- makeover on Thursday. Ellie was much more excited about it than I was. The eager stylist trimmed my hair, gave me a manicure (which reminded me to ask Edward if he was the one who painted Ellie's nails), and provided me with a whole new wardrobe. Alice would have been very pleased with the end result.

_Alice_. What had happened to her? What had happened to all of the Cullens? My brother Emmett had broken up with Rosalie (Alice's boyfriend's sister) before he left for college, and I never heard about Dr. & Mrs. Cullen anymore either. My guess was that they had all moved back to Chicago, where they were originally from.

Edward didn't mention his family, and there were no pictures or reminders of them anywhere in the house. Ellie never spoke of having grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins either. It made me curious to know if Edward had broken off contact with them too.

I added this mystery to the growing pile of puzzles, and wondered just when this whole thing would blow up in my face. I didn't have to wait long for that, though. Dinner with Demetri would prove to be a disaster.

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**AN: I got the job! I am now gainfully employed at Stride Rite. Thanks for all the good wishes!**

**Much thanks to ****birdee18****. I would write all my stories just for you if I could. **

**Review if you want this story to continue. Your reviews inspire me- be flattered. :) Could we get to 200, do you think?**

**It's just a little disheartening when thousands of people read my stories but only a handful of them let me know how I did on one chapter. **

**What did you think of m'baby Ellie? And her Alfred sauce? And just where/who do you think her mommy is?**


	9. Sugar, We're Goin' Down

Chapter Nine 

_Sugar, We're Goin' Down_

_---------------------------------------------------------------- _

I arrived at Edward's house an hour before Demetri was due to arrive.

"Ms. Bella, how lovely to see you again," Peter said cordially, upon opening the door and taking my coat.

"Thank you, Peter. What am I supposed to do, do you know?"

He smiled warmly, and motioned upstairs. "Your evening wear is the blue room. Third door, on the left."

What?

I self-consciously tugged at the hem of the gray skirt I had put on.

"What's wrong with what I have on?"

I had dry cleaned my outfit and everything. Edward was so getting that bill. I never went anywhere without that black card he got me.

Peter chuckled kindly. "My dear, even an old man like myself knows that Edward Cullen's wife wouldn't dare wear such a simple outfit. I'm sorry, Ms. Bella, but your choice of clothing simply won't do. Now, the blue room?"

He said it so nicely that I almost missed the fact that I had just been burned by a fashion forward elderly gentlemen.

Great. I tried not to stomp my way up the stairs. The blue room was appropriately named- everything was blue, except for the furniture, which must have been made of heavy oak. The light carpeting felt lush under my feet, and the paintings on the wall made me feel like I was staying in a penthouse suite, not someone's home. There were even blue silk sheets on the ornately carved king size bed. I opened the dark oak doors of the closet, and a black garment bag with my name on it was the only item hanging from the clothes rack.

The was an ivory note attached to the bag.

_Blue has always looked becoming on you._

The elegant script betrayed my note writer.

Edward thought I looked good in blue?

I hesitantly unzipped the bag, a little unsure of what the outfit would be. I briefly wondered who picked the dress out. It couldn't have been Charlotte or Kate. Kate was too busy making suggestive gestures towards Garrett, and Charlotte had her hands full looking after the house and making sure Ellie didn't draw on the walls.

Apparently, the west dining room wall had been re-papered three times, thanks to Ellie's Crayola masterpieces.

Dear Lord, what if it was Peter?

Or maybe Edward had taken to recycling, and the dress had belonged to Ellie's mother?

Suddenly, I prayed the dear old man had picked out this evening's attire.

I let out a sigh of relief when I saw that the tags were still on the prettiest dress I had ever seen. It was simple, dark blue, undoubtedly elegant, made of a silky soft fabric, which ebbed and flowed, till it came to rest just above my knees.

I wasn't big on frou frou, but I could definitely see myself in this dress.

I carefully slipped it out of its hanger, and quickly stripped, making sure the bedroom door was locked. The dress fit like a glove. Whoever had picked the gorgeous frock out was good at guessing sizes. I did a little twirl in front of the floor length mirror on the wall, marveling at how the dress swirled with my every room. I took the tags off the dress, frowning when I saw someone had ripped the price tag off.

Edward knew I didn't like it when people spent money on me. The missing tag meant that the dress was expensive. How very sneaky of him.

There was a jewelry box on the dresser, and I opened it to find a sparkling crystal heart on a thin silver chain nestled inside. I guessed I was supposed to wear it. I slid the delicate chain around my neck, and inspected my reflection once again in the mirror. I looked pretty good- but I didn't have any shoes.

A box caught my eye. I opened it to find navy flats inside, and a little bubble of panic rose up in my throat.

Edward had to have been the one to get my things. No one else had caught on (_yet_) that I was clumsy. If Edward truly picked out my clothes, he had good taste- and knew me better than I thought he did. A knock on the door startled me, and I quickly fastened the shoes on, and smoothed my hair.

I found a bashful Charlotte on the other side of the door.

"Did you need any help, Mrs. Cullen?"

She evidently didn't have any moral qualms about mine and Edward's arrangement.

"Um, no, thank you, Charlotte. And please, call me Bella." The less people who called me Mrs. Cullen, the better.

"Mr. Cullen would like to speak with you in the drawing room, when you're finished."

I instantly stopped dawdling, checked my dress for wrinkles, ran a hand through my curls, and walked as gracefully as I could down the stairs, praying I wouldn't fall.

I knocked as softly as I could on the door to the _drawing_ room- which was pretty much a small living room- wincing when my timid rap on the cherry wood echoed throughout the house. Edward swiftly opened the door, but I didn't move, and neither did he. I knew I was a little taken aback at how nice he looked- again, being married to this guys had its definite perks, but I wished he would stop looking at me, like I had something on my dress, or my makeup had smudged.

"Can I come in?" I asked half teasingly, wanting to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Um, of course," He said awkwardly, gesturing me inside with his other hand- the one _not_ gripping the doorknob for dear life.

What had him so worked up?

He motioned for me to sit down, and I sat stiffly on one of the winged armchairs, ankles crossed and my hands in my lap. Ladies sat like that, didn't they?

"So darling, how was your day?" He asked pleasantly.

"What?" I gasped.

He groaned.

"Bella, please, Demetri's going to be here in eight minutes. You've got to be more in character than that. Let me ask again.

So darling, how was your day?"

"Do you have to call me that?"

"Call you what?"

"You know what, Edward Anthony."

"Darling, now is not the time for-"

"Stop it."

He sighed.

"Well, how should I address you?"

"Bella is fine."

"Every other person on the planet gets to call you that. I want to call you something else."

He did, did he?

"Like what?"

"I don't know."

"Again, Bella is fine."

"Angel."

"The only halo I own is the video game."

"Sweetheart."

"I am _not_ your sweetheart."

"Baby."

"Ellie is your baby."

"Love monkey."

"What the hell?"

"Never mind. Um. Goddess?"

"No. Too Greek."

He looked at me in confusion.

"Don't ask."

"Cuddle bug?"

"Referring to me as vermin. How affectionate."

"Okay... Honey?"

I stifled my involuntary gasp. When we played house- twenty years ago, mind you- we called each other honey, because that was what we thought we were supposed to do. All the married couples we knew called each other that, and we figured that we should embrace the term too, seeing as we were married with a baby- Ella.

Oh the irony.

"Honey. How sweet."

"You're so funny, Mrs. Cullen. So you like the name?"

"It's... decent."

"That's good enough for me. So when Demetri comes, we'll greet him, make small talk, whatever. You've made dinner-"

"I have to make dinner?!"

Way to give a girl notice, Honey.

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella. Charlotte's already made dinner. You're not going to be cooking, at least not when I'm in the house."

"And why is that?"

He smirked.

"You just might end up throwing your creations at me, like you did when you were in middle school."

I exploded.

"How _dare_ you joke about that! You broke my heart, you lying son of a-"

He quickly covered my mouth with his hand, in case Ellie happened to be listening.

I ripped his hand away and glared at his sassy face, not knowing what I could possibly do to get the point across to him.

"I thought you had changed, Edward. But if you are so bent on thinking that I am going to throw something at you, then _here_."

I pulled off my wedding and engagement band and threw them at his head.

Of course, me being me, the two rings didn't even come close to his head, instead, they chunked against the wall, probably leaving nice twin little dents in the wall paper covered sheet rock- which I did not feel bad about at all, then dropped to the ground, spinning on the hardwood floor.

I got up from the chair as gracefully as I could, intending to retrieve my coat and purse and get the heck out. I was mad. Here I was, lying _for him_, risking my life _for him_, pretending to be some one I was not _for him_, and he wanted to throw the past in my face and joke about it.

I wasn't having it. I didn't really know why we fought so much. We didn't do it when we were little. But now, almost everything he did annoyed me and I was sure he couldn't stand me either.

He did not pick the right person to play his wife. I had known it from the beginning.

I actually flounced out of the sitting room, flinging the door wide open and accidentally banging the door knob into the wall- Charlotte was going to kill me for that.

I heard Edward's footsteps behind me as I walked down the hall, searching for Peter who had stashed my jacket and purse somewhere.

But as I rounded the corner, a man who could only have been Demetri Schwartz stood in the foyer, and I froze.

Our eight minutes were up.

He looked exactly like his intimidating brother Marcus, with the dark hair and tan skin, but his eyes were the brightest shade of blue I had ever seen. He was a tall man, probably taller than Edward, and definitely bulkier. Frankly, he scared me, and I was glad Edward was right behind me.

I hated feeling so weak around Edward. I wanted nothing more than to prove to him that I was a strong, independent woman, but every time I felt threatened, I shrank in to his side, needing to feel him beside me. I was naturally inclined to gravitate towards him. All the years we had together growing up had made it clear that Edward was my protector. He kept the bullies away from me during recess when we were six, and now, here he was again, my shield. It was strange how I had sometimes felt suffocated by his presence when we were little- and I had liked having him around back then. Now I was torn between wanting him close and wanting to push him away because he annoyed me so.

"Mr. Schwartz, welcome," Edward said, as he walked forward, his hand finding mine- oh so discreetly slipping in the wedding bands I had thrown at him- and his other extended towards Demetri in a handshake.

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen. It is an honor to be here," he said- somewhat stiffly, I noticed. He shook my husband's hand firmly, then turned to me.

"And who is this?"

He looked at me like I was something to eat. He and Marcus had quite a lot in common.

"Mr. Schwartz, I'd like you to meet my wife, Isabella." Edward's hand pressed on the small of my back, urging me forward, and I automatically extended my hand, flashing what I hoped was a warm smile.

"Mrs. Cullen," he acknowledged, grasping my hand in his, and pressing a kiss to the back- I saw Edward wince- before letting go.

"What a beautiful home you have, Mrs. Cullen. Have you lived here long?" he asked, in what he must have hoped was a nonchalant manner. I could see a hint of curiosity in his cruel eyes, and I braced myself. Edward's hand tensed on my back, and I swallowed the bile that had risen in my throat.

_Test One_.

"Actually, no," I said, attempting to appear collected. "It's only been about two months. We lived in an another part of Washington before."

This was the first lie of many.

His head tilted, like he was affirming my statement. Evidently, I passed the first test. Now onto the second.

"Another newcomer to Seattle. I never would have guessed. You both seem so at home here."

"Thank you, sir. Bella's made dinner," Edward said, gesturing towards the dining room.

Demetri's eyebrows shot up. "A wealthy woman like yourself, lowering your status to prepare meals? May I ask why? In Belgium, that simply isn't done."

I felt my face heat up, and Edward slid his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him in what looked to be a supportive gesture.

"Bella enjoys the culinary arts. It isn't work or demeaning to her at all. Are you suggesting that my wife does not know how to behave like the lady she is?"

He called me a lady? Seriously? Oh, dinner was going to be my death trap.

The tips of Demetri's ears turned bright red.

"Of course not, Mr. Cullen. I was simply curious. I'm sure whatever your Isabella has prepared will be quite delicious."

Oh boy, was he a bad liar.

I didn't even have to look at Edward's face to know that he was giving him a death stare.

Demetri took the hint, and Edward ushered him into the dining room, squeezing my hand in reassurance. I was incredibly anxious. Not only did we have to survive dinner with this awful man, but Edward and I had to act like the married couple we claimed to be for the next week. Edward sat at the head of the table, and I to his right. He pulled out my chair for me, and Demetri took the seat at Edward's left.

Thank heaven Ellie had already been put to bed. Edward didn't think she was ready to pretend to be who she wasn't, and he didn't want to take the risk in such an intimate setting. _I_ didn't want her around this freaky man, even if she really wasn't my baby. He was worse than Marcus. I felt that just by looking at him, he knew all my secrets. The piercing gaze he held was intimidating.

I felt Edward's hand snake under the table and grasp mine as Charlotte served our salads. I didn't know if he was doing it for show, or simply to reassure me, but I was grateful for the gesture. The poor man was going to have to eat his dinner with one hand.

"So, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen-"

"Please, call us Edward and Bella,"

Demetri chuckled, but it wasn't a happy sound.

"So, _Edward_ _and_ _Bella_,how long have you two been married?"

I tried to smile lovingly at Edward, but inside I was a little panicked. I couldn't remember the year we had agreed upon. But Demetri was waiting, so...

"Six years." I said sweetly.

"Eight years." Edward chimed.

I looked at him in horror.

Demetri chuckled eerily again, but I could see the question in his eyes.

"So, which is it? Six or eight?"

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**AN: Oh crap. They don't know how long they've been married and Demetri's loving it. Who's right? Ed or Bell? They gave their answers at the same time, so Edward's not trying to jeopardize.**

**Sorry for the wait. The epilogue for PB&J had me so upset. 32 reviews, but over 300 reads. That made me sad. Review one last time if you haven't already, and I'll love you forever.**

**Please, please, if you can, review. That is the only reason I continue my stories. How else am I supposed to know if my stuff is worth writing? **

**I really want to do Edward's POV, but right now, it would give away too much. **

**I want more pet names Edward has to try out on Bella. Funny ones, cute ones, weird ones... what do you call your significant other? You may end up getting a shout out in this story! **


	10. Typical Man

Chapter Ten

_Typical Man_

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"You're right honey- it has been six years. Seems longer." Edward said affectionately, casting a sideways glance at Demetri, who was studying our faces closely.

Demetri looked (or _pretended_ to look) confused. "But in America, do they not say... ah, what is it? The time flies when you are... having fun?"

If looks could kill, Demetri would have been a dead man. Edward's body language was screaming obscenities.

"We do say that," Edward conceded, swirling the ruby red wine in his glass, "but it just seems longer with Bella, because, well... I couldn't imagine my life without her." He looked at me again and smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Forget being a CIA agent. Edward's future was clearly in composing Hallmark cards.

"Aw, thank you, honey," I said, leaning over the table and very gently pressing my lips to his cheek. Not too much, not too little. I really didn't want to give Demetri hints that I wasn't really in love with my husband, but then again, I didn't want to overdo it and embarrass myself. Edward was visibly startled by my little gesture, and I saw his hand grip his wineglass tighter.

Demetri looked at both of us again, before settling in his seat and eating his shrimp risotto. He seemed satisfied with our answers, but I was so on edge that I couldn't even taste my dinner. Edward and Demetri eventually began to talk business, yet I knew from the way Demetri presented his questions and thoughts to Edward that there was still more questioning to come. All too son, though, the questions were once again flung at me, and I struggled to put together composed answers.

"Tell me, where did you honeymoon?"

I _knew_ we should have stuck with the Fiji answer. Because apparently, Demetri had been to Copenhagen. Four times. And Edward and I looked like total idiots, pretending to know what he was talking about. He asked if we had been to such and such cafe, and this and that mountain, and Edward very nearly blew our cover when Demetri asked him how he liked the Danish, and Edward thought he was talking about the pastry.

What he said was, "The strawberry filled ones taste delicious."

If Demetri didn't think we were weird enough, there was now a possibility in his mind that we were cannibals. Great. And Edward wasn't really helping the situation.

Every seven minutes, it was...

"Cupcake, could you pass me the green beans?"

"Muffin, more wine, hm?"

Or my personal favorite:

"Sugar Pie, the pepper please?"

How very odd that the entire contents of the gravy boat ended up in his lap exactly four minutes after I tossed him the pepper shaker. How very odd indeed. I knew I had probably ruined his suit, and I realized a moment too late that I had just made our situation worse, not better. Edward's eyes spoke volumes, and it was clear that he was angry with me. He wasn't going to give up on the awful nicknames, especially since it annoyed me.

I cooed my apologies (which were more for show- I wasn't really sorry) to my husband, helping him clean up the flood of gravy that had spilled all over his lap and the floor. Edward was so furious with me. Even after all the little stunts he pulled, I was really stretching his acting skills. Garrett came in with the bottle of carpet cleaner, and I could have sworn he was snickering under the table. I was glad someone found my retaliation funny, because Charlotte was already plotting my death. Between the dents on the wall and the mess on the floor, I was a dead woman.

I was so distracted after the gravy incident. I was torn between exchanging glares with Edward and sneaking peeks at Demetri, shuddering when I caught him staring at me. Somewhere along the way I lost my dessert spoon, my napkin ended up on the floor, and I had accidentally put sugar on my mashed potatoes, not salt.

The only one who seemed to be enjoying himself at this dinner was Demetri. He wolfed down Charlotte's dinner like he hadn't eaten in years, and I prayed that he would save a sliver of chocolate cake for me. I didn't know where he put it all. He made a mess all over the tablecloth too, and I was glad I wasn't going to be the only person put on Charlotte's bad list.

The vino he was heavily consuming apparently lowered his inhibitions, and once again he started up with the questions.

"Eddie, tell me how you met Bella."

"My Isabella, you mean." Edward said coldly.

Again, with the possessiveness. I'm sorry, _honey_, but you gave me up years ago.

I'm not yours.

You'd think a bowlful of hot gravy would get that message across.

I lightly pressed the tip of my shoe into his loafer, reminding him that I really wasn't his, and the look he gave me in return was so full of venom that I quickly removed my shoe and ducked my head. I began to feel a little bad for teasing Edward's frayed nerves- if this mission failed, he could lose his job. He had enough to deal with- his line of work, his baby girl, and entertaining a malicious house guest he was supposed to pretend to be married to- me.

"I met Bella when I was six years old," he began tiredly, and I lost myself in the story he told to Demetri.

Except that everything he told the Belgian CEO was true.

He tweaked the last ten years a bit, saying that we had lost touch after high school, but had reunited in my last year of college, got married, had Ellie, etc.

Demetri asked us if we were planning to have any more children.

Edward said yes.

I said no.

And Demetri laughed his creepy laugh.

Again.

I was growing antsy. The food no longer had a taste, Demetri's comments were grating on my emotions, and Edward was mad at me.

Finally,after what seemed like an eternity, Demetri put down his fork and heaved himself up from the table, a little bit awkwardly, I might add- he seemed slightly inebriated from all the Cabernet he consumed. He shook hands with Edward and much to my dismay- kissed my hand again. Edward all but kicked him out the door, and I giggled. The poor guy was so annoyed.

As soon as the front door slammed shut, Edward ran his hands through his hair and threw his suit jacket on the ground. He sat down on the bench by the door, fists resting in his knees.

"Well, that was a disaster," he said, to no one in particular.

I stood frozen in his foyer, shifting my weight from my left foot to my right, and back again.

Was he waiting for my apology? Was it time for me to leave?

I decided on both.

"I'm really sorry about your suit, Edward. I shouldn't have done that."

To my utter shock and relief, he gave me a small smile. "I had to bring you back somehow."

I stiffened. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Someone switched my vivacious wife for a scared sheep during dinner and it was kind of freaking me out."

"Did you just call me a sheep?"

"Maybe?"

I laughed and sat down next to him.

"I hope I didn't ruin the carpet."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Carpets can be replaced. Bella Cullen, on the other hand, cannot."

"Really."

"Mhm." He then began to chuckle. "Did I really commit myself to cannibalism when we were talking about Copenhagen?"

I giggled. "Yes, you did."

He groaned, but the smile on his face stayed in place. "Demetri probably thinks we're a couple of fruitcakes."

I lightly poked him in the side. "Hey, just you, not me."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh, so American wives typically spill gravy on their husbands?"

"You know what I mean."

"We are so dead."

"Yeah."

"But what a way to go."

–

Apparently, Edward and I were not as smooth as we thought we were, because the next week, we noticed that there were a few men watching Edward's house. Just a few men in plain black clothing, walking up and down the sidewalk, or sitting on the sidewalk curb, but always watching the house. It was obvious who they worked for.

Demetri was onto us.

Edward told me that for safety's sake, I would need to live in his house, just until Demetri went back to Belgium. It was just to make our cover a little more believable. Edward and Garrett helped me move all of my things into the blue room. I packed up my entire wardrobe, and personal items. All that was left at my house was my furniture.

It was a little strange, living in Edward's house, even if it was just for a week or two. I saw a different side of Edward the week I lived in his house. He was more relaxed, and he seemed happy. He would play with Ellie and engage in conversation with me when he wasn't busy.

I was going a little stir crazy from being cooped up, seeing as the novel I had been editing was finished, so I didn't have any real work to do. I explored Edward's extensive library, and Charlotte allowed me in her kitchen, where I was able to bake and help cook dinner. It would snow late in the afternoons, and Edward, Ellie, and I would go outside and make snowmen and have snowball fights.

To any outsider, we would have looked like an ordinary family. But we weren't one, not really, no matter how hard we tried to pretend.

"Mommy? Can you tie my bow?" Ellie slowly came down the stairs one day, holding the two ties to her dress in her small hands.

"Sure, baby." I said, and kneeled down to tie the two strings into a bow.

Edward had given up on having her call me Bella when we weren't in public company. It was getting confusing for Ellie to remember when to call me by my first name and when she had to refer to me as her mother. Now I was Mommy- twenty four seven. It was a little surreal, having her address me as her mother, especially out in public. Ellie and I were slowly forming a bond, she more readily than I. She so desperately wanted a mommy. I had expected to receive a cold shoulder from her, seeing as I was taking a lot of her father's attention. But she clung to me all the more.

It was understandable. Charlotte was more of a grandmother figure to her, and Kate was more of a friend. I didn't mind being with Ellie, although Edward always made sure to tell her not to monopolize my time.

It wasn't like I was doing anything else. Edward was busy with work until late afternoon, and Kate was finally doing something about her feelings for Garrett, so I didn't really have anyone except a sweet little four year old to talk to.

Charlotte and Peter didn't live in the Cullen house- they stayed in the guest cottage at the back of the property. They would come in the early morning in time for breakfast, and would leave after Ellie was in bed. After I had learned to put Ellie to bed, however, they would leave after the dinner dishes were done.

Taking care of a child wasn't something I'd ever done before. I didn't have any younger brothers or sisters. It was just me and Emmett, and he was two years older than me. I had hoped, one day, to help Emmett take care of his children- so I had practice for when I had my own children. I thought that would happen when he would eventually marry Rosalie, but since they had broken up, the chances of that happening were slim to none. As much as I loved Rosalie like a sister, I hated for what she had done to my brother. She had broken his heart, for no rhyme or reason, and it had crushed him.

He would swear that Rosalie Hale was the only girl for him. And if he couldn't have her, he wouldn't have anyone.

So when they split, he joined the Peace Corps and pretty much fell of the face of the earth. The last time I had talked to him, he had been in Africa, and that was months ago.

I had no idea where Rosalie was. I made a note to ask Edward, because I knew he still kept in touch with her brother, Jasper.

Ellie was a fairly easy child to take care of. She ate well, typically hating leafy green vegetables like most children do. I learned how to bathe her every night, and help her with her pajamas and brushing her teeth. She would get a glass of water before bed, and would always beg for a story.

Story time was Edward's domain. He would always invariably make his way to Ellie's bedroom at eight o'clock every evening, with a smile on his face and a book in his hand. I would make a move to leave, but Ellie would grab my hand and make me sit on the bed with her while Edward read.

I didn't try to fight her. Listening to Edward read- even the most boring fairy tales- was captivating. He would make the story come alive, with his sound effects, and rich intonation. He had a different voice for each of the characters in the stories, and Ellie and I would always giggle when he hashed out a woman's part.

During the day, Ellie was always flitting around, drawing me pictures and asking if we could do things together.

"Mommy, can we make cookies?"

"Mommy, my favorite color is pink. What's your favorite color, Mommy?"

"Mommy, will you push me on the swings?"

And on it went. I was personally flattered that she wanted to spend so much time with me. I didn't even want to think about how much it would hurt when I would have to say goodbye.

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**So Bella's living in the Cullen house now!**

**I just re-read my story and realized I made an error- **

**Edward and Alice are siblings. Emmett and Bella are siblings. Jasper and Rosalie are twins- and are not related to the Cullens or the Swans. :) **

**Thank you to ….**

**Birdee18**** for the chapter title**

**CullenCovenGirl88**** for suggesting Cupcake**

**SparklyVampGirl**** for Sugar Pie**

**and ****Julia Shoucair**** for Muffin.**

**Keep the pet names coming- and hey, how about some pick-up lines too? ;D**

**Review if you want this story to continue. I get lots of alerts, but no reviews. And that makes me super sad. **

**Thanks for reading and reviewing! **

_**Don't forget me on Facebook (yourbrowneyedgirl) and Twitter(nicoleybeg)! I put up teasers every so often!**_

**Reviewers get to bake cookies with Ellie. **


	11. Details in the Fabric

Chapter Eleven

_Details in the Fabric_

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It was now the two week anniversary of my escapade with Edward and I was getting restless.

Edward was gone before Ellie and I woke up in the morning and he didn't come back until we had both gone to bed. I let my overactive imagination wander to what could have had him so preoccupied. Would his work really occupy fourteen hours of his time? I wondered if he was seeing someone. Sure, we were married, but... if he was seeing someone; he wasn't really cheating on me. We had never promised to love each other, to stay true, to support one another.

We weren't really married.

I was the one person who was legally allowed to be with him as much as I wanted and I could not even touch him. I suppose that wasn't entirely true.

I held his hand, kissed his cheek, and poked him in the side.

Once.

I wasn't expecting any repeat performances.

At least not while we were in the company of others.

Life was cruel.

_What, Bella? You _hate_ this guy and then all you can do is think about rules and touching and what he does all day?_

_Pull yourself together, sweetie, you're falling._

Was I?

I supposed my… _limitations_ were for the best.

I was supposed to come out of this arrangement whole and intact.

No broken hearts allowed.

I would go from Mommy to Bella.

Bella Cullen to Bella Swan.

Tiffany ring to… well, Tiffany ring. Edward did say I could keep it.

A really selfish part of me hoped that work was occupying his time, not a woman. Edward wasn't a womanizer or someone to go out on one night-stands (which made me think that he must have been in a serious relationship with Ellie's mother- darn it), which was relieving. But then that meant that he was wining and dining a woman with ultimate care.

Typical Edward.

But I was letting my imagination run away with me. And whatever Edward was doing was really none of my business.

I just found it incredibly unfair that he was allowed to go out of the house and do as he pleased, while I was chained to his brownstone with only a four year old (who was permanently attached to my hip) for company.

Charlotte and Peter had been given a few days off to visit their grandchildren, and Garrett and Kate were studying for their exams. So it was just me and Ellie in the big house. We slid down Edward's banisters, made forts in the living room, and played our own version of poker, using cookies instead of plastic chips.

I was slowly falling in love with this little girl. She was so captivating, this little person that was half Edward and half.... somebody else. I still had yet to find out _who_ that somebody was. I admittedly had tried to pry the information out of Ellie, but the only mommy she knew was me.

She didn't know anyone named Alice, Esme, or Carlisle either.

The first few days I thought about this, my imagination went wild.

I figured that the whole no contact this was either Edward's doing or his family's doing.

Either he was disowned or they died.

I couldn't imagine any other scenario.

Unless.

He was forced to not interact with them. The CIA was pretty strict on who knew their biz and who didn't. The stack of forms I had to fill out proved that.

I mean, with his job and all…

It was probably _he_ who was thought to be dead.

And Ellie didn't exist.

It made sense.

Because if Esme Cullen knew she had a granddaughter, Ellie would certainly know who she was.

Or they all just could be dead, like I supposed in the first place.

It was by far, the most non-callous reason.

Cullens and drama mixed like oil and vinegar.

I was half tempted to call up my big brother and demand information, seeing as how Rosalie's brother Jasper was or maybe, had been dating Edward's sister Alice, but then I remembered that Emmett was a bitter clinger and how if I called him up, I would be forced to listen to him moan about the loss of Rosalie. And I had already heard his speech thrice before.

I could always make my life easier and just ask Edward.

But I was too afraid of his response.

Like when you don't see a married person wearing their wedding ring.

You're dying to know if they lost it or if they told their spouse to get lost.

The situation was potentially volatile.

And plugging Ellie for information only got a person so far.

In my defense, she didn't try very hard to remember her extended family. She had bigger things to worry about. Her fifth birthday was in two days. She wanted a Peter Pan party, of all things. I didn't know kids her age still knew who Peter Pan was. She was wildly enthusiastic about it, and it would have crushed me to disappoint her. She had drawn pictures of costumes, and shyly asked me if I could make her a cake.

"Chocolate; 'cos it's Daddy's favorite."

That was good enough for me.

I put in an order for groceries and the necessary cake supplies over the phone, and I was assured that I would have my ingredients within the hour. Ellie helped me find the mixing bowls, spatulas, and cake pans that we would need. She was so excited. We dug aprons out of the pantry and cinched them around our waists, giggling when the bottom of Ellie's fell all the way to the floor.

They didn't invent safety pins for nothing.

Even though Ellie was very dear to Charlotte, she was not allowed in the kitchen. Ever.

Charlotte was going to think I had no respect for her rules whatsoever.

Which was not true.

Sort of.

The groceries arrived at precisely an hour, and for the next forty five minutes, Ellie and I single handedly destroyed Charlotte's kitchen. And we were lost on how to use some of the fancy gadgets. I was a pretty good cook, but I believed in simple tools. The Rolls-Royce of Kitchen Aid mixers was of no help to me. You'd think you could go to the moon in that thing, not bake a cake.

Thank goodness for wooden spoons.

In the end, we had cake batter on the ceiling and drawers covered in little sticky handprints.

Not to mention a legion of sprinkles that had crushed themselves into the hardwood floor.

After that, I was a fervent supporter of Lysol wipes.

The two layer cake that was unevenly frosted sat proudly on a cake plate, glistening with ganache and fudge.

It was every chocolate lover's dream cake.

A way to a man's heart was through his stomach, right? Well, Edward's stomach, at least.

We cleaned up the kitchen as best we could, but Charlotte was going to smell a rat as soon as she came back. Can't say that I didn't try.

I was very thankful that Ellie's expectations did not tumble into costume making, because operating a sewing machine was hazardous to someone as clumsy as I was.

Instead, she rifled through my closet and held up a long blue dress with cap sleeves- which was another Edward purchase that I hadn't yet worn.

She showed me her Tinker Bell dress (mourning the fact that her hair wasn't golden like Tink's), and asked me if I would dress up like Wendy, to which I agreed wholeheartedly.

Who was I to pass up a decent dress and black ballerina flats to match?

Edward, on the other hand, was not going to like his costume very much.

Peter Pan wore green tights.

Edward in green tights was going to be hysterical. I knew he wouldn't be able to refuse Ellie- I just needed to make sure there was a camera or two lying around. I got butterflies thinking about our costumes- didn't Peter and Wendy kind of get together in the movie? I quickly brushed those thoughts out of my head. I didn't need to be thinking about that.

I didn't like Edward.

Or did I?

There was something that had always attracted me to him, ever since we were little, but after what he did...

I was so impressionable at twelve.

I had tried relationships with other men- Mike, Tyler, Ben... but they never worked out. Dating other people seemed... boring.

Just being around Edward was exhilarating and I hated myself for it.

I deserved better.

Or did I?

He had apologized. I had forgiven him.

But I wasn't about to forget.

I only had one life to live. I didn't want to live with regrets. I was afraid of being tied to the man who was apt to break me again.

So what was I doing in his house?

My sole focus soon became the happiness of Ellie. It broke my heart that Edward and I would be her only guests at her party. She didn't have any little friends she could invite.

It was too much, psychologically, for Ellie to go to preschool and make friends there. Edward apparently moved around a lot, and making friends then turning around and leaving them was a lot of stress on a four year old. It was dangerous for her, too. There were people 'out there' who wanted their revenge on Edward, and having his daughter out in the open was a prime target. So Kate very patiently taught her the alphabet, and how to count to one hundred, and every other little thing that was necessary for a four year old to learn.

Ellie could read a little bit, too. She read simple stories to me, small books with no more than seven or ten sentences in them. She was definitely smarter than the average four year old, but she didn't have any friends her age. She was pretty much cut off from the rest of the world, in her own little Edward supervised bubble.

His... _carefulness_ was understandable, but I didn't think he realized how lonely Ellie was. She craved attention. Four years of playing by herself had taught her that it was no fun. So I was her constant companion. We planned every last detail of her little party; Edward's black American Express card securely in my hand as I ordered decorations online.

Edward and I communicated the party details through the refrigerator door, since he was never home.

The little note leaving thing was something that, if I was honest with myself, I really liked. It was much easier to talk to Edward on paper than it was in real life. I would wake up every morning to a note on the refrigerator in Edward's meticulous handwriting. They were simple little notes, often written on the back of an envelope or a takeout menu.

I knew Edward snuck takeout when Charlotte wasn't around.

The notes said simple little things like,

_Bella, I'll be gone until seven or so. Chinese or Thai?_

Apparently he forgot that I could cook. But I wasn't going to turn down the takeout Edward brought home. It was always from some frighteningly upscale restaurant, the kind where you eat in more than you take out. I wasn't complaining. No dishes and delicious dinner that was prepared by someone other than myself was too good to pass up.

Besides, Ellie and I didn't have to eat alone. We would sit at the huge dining room table with Edward, and he would try (and fail) to teach us how to use chopsticks, and would always tease when we had to grab forks from the kitchen. He smugly ate his curried chicken from his little bamboo sticks, while Ellie and I stabbed our rice with our _wonderfu_l forks.

Other notes were composed of little things, written more out of courtesy than a respect for friendship.

_Bella, don't wait up for me. I'll be home late. Give Ellie a kiss for me. _

_Bella, I'm expecting a package today. Could you please sign for it?_

And so on. The notes were polite, simple, and straightforward. He'd ask me to do little errands for him- none of which involved me leaving the house- I wasn't allowed to do that, and neither was Ellie. I was chafing under that restriction, but I knew that Edward wanted us as safe as possible.

It was just a little lonely. The only time I saw Edward was at dinner, and that was if he wasn't staying late. I missed having someone to talk to. Chatting with a four year old was nice enough, but...

I had a lot of catching up to do with Edward.

I purposely took a nap when Ellie did the day before her birthday so I would be alert enough to talk to Edward when he came home that evening.

Surprisingly, he walked in the door just shy of seven o'clock. I had given Ellie her dinner, and was planning on eating my own while she was bathing.

"Daddy! You're home!"

"Hey sweet pea!" he said, bending down and kissing her forehead, "how was your day?"

She squealed at feeling his five o'clock shadow brush her cheek. "It was good, Daddy! Me and Mommy made my birthday cake- see?"

She pointed to our painstakingly crafted creation, practically bubbling with excitement, waiting for his response.

His eyes widened, and he let out a low whistle of surprise.

"You guys made that?" He looked over at me for confirmation, and I proudly smiled.

"Yes, we did, Daddy! We can eat it tomorrow! I'm so glad I get to see you, Daddy! Will you give me my bath tonight?"

Edward's face tightened a little bit before answering his daughter.

"Actually, Sweetie, Daddy has to go out with someone tonight. Bella, I hope you don't mind."

What was I going to say? No? It wasn't like I had anything better to do.

"Where are you going, Daddy?"

"Uhm, a restaurant, sweet pea."

"Are you going on a date?" Ellie asked big eyes wide and little hands clasped together. I had no idea she knew what a date was. She didn't hear that term from me.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess you could call it a date, baby…"

I guessed he was seeing someone after all. I felt tears prick my eyes, and a painful tightening in my chest. I had recognized this emotion a few times before.

Was I actually jealous?

And why was I so crushed that he had a date?

_Remember, Bella, he's not yours. He never was, and he never will be._

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**So Edward has a date, and Bella just might be falling for him. Is anyone else a little annoyed with Edward for not being around? And before you flame me for him going out with someone, I really don't believe he is cheating on Bella. He never agreed to love Bella or not see other people. And he's well aware of the risks involved- let's hope Demetri doesn't decide to spy!**

**Don't forget the poll on my page! Who should fall in love first?**

**If we get to 350 (or more- I'm very optimistic) reviews this chapter, I'll let Edward and Bella have some **_**lovin' **_**next chapter**_**- **_**if Edward doesn't fall for the chick he's going out with, that is. You know you want it!**

**I mean, please… 200 people are subscribed to this story and only about 30 of them review. That really sucks. To the people who do review, thank you so much. I need the reviews to keep writing.**

**When school starts, I'm not going to have as much motivation to update, so please leave me your thoughts. I'd hate for this story to get boring or cliché. And I know you guys would hate long waits between updates.**

**Reviewers get to be friends with Ellie. She needs some buddies. **

**Thanks guys!! And thank you Zoe and Bridget. I don't know what I would do without you guys.**


	12. Confessions of a Drama Queen

Chapter Twelve

_Confessions of a Drama Queen _

---------------------------------------------------------------

I was blinking back tears when a second figure walked through the door.

"Hey, Kiddo!"

Kate? College student Kate, with the fiery red hair and Irish temper to match? Ellie's teacher? _That_ Kate?

Edward was going to take Kate… out?

I watched in horror as she scooped Ellie up, hugging her tightly.

"Auntie Kate! What are you doing here?" Ellie asked excitedly, both of her little arms squeezing her neck.

"Well, little girl, your Daddy wanted to take your Mommy out for dinner, so it's just you and me tonight." Kate said affectionately, smirking at Edward.

I needed to get my ears checked. What had she just said?

"Bella, I hope I'm not being presumptuous," Edward said smoothly, and I could have sworn he blushed, "but I was hoping that you and I could spend some time together, since, well, I haven't been around much. I mean, I know you hate people spending money on you, but I was hoping to get you out of the house…"

"Edward, I love to." I let a smile grace my face, and Edward blushed again.

"Really? Uhm, do you like French food?"

"Yes."

"I know this great little place-"

"I'll go get changed."

He smiled genuinely, and I let it warm my heart as I skipped as gracefully as possible up the stairs, Kate and Ellie hot on my heels.

We burst into the blue room, and I could feel my heart flying as I opened my closet.

Edward was going out on a date.

With me.

I was going to get out of this house.

I wasn't even mad anymore.

Funny how that tended to happen around him.

"You should wear this, Mommy!" Ellie cried, placing a pink, overly frilly dress in my lap. I bit my lip, not wanting to hurt Ellie's feelings.

I could not wear that flashy dress, especially not in front of Edward.

"Uhm, baby, I think that we should save this dress for a different occasion. It's a little too cold outside to be wearing such a short dress." I said gently.

Ellie's face fell a little bit, but she scooted off the bed in a flash and came back with a long sleeve sweater and jeans.

"What about this, Mommy? You won't get cold!"

"I think it's perf-"

"Absolutely not, Bella." Kate said firmly, gently plucking the items from Ellie's hands.

"Hey! I liked that one," I said, reaching to take back the jeans.

Kate smirked, and threw the outfit on top of my armoire. Great. I'd have to get a ladder to get my clothes back.

She reached into the closet, and pulled out a slinky black dress- knee length, with one long sleeve shoulder, and one bare shoulder.

"This is what you should be wearing, not a grandma sweater and wrinkly jeans. If you're planning on… well," she peeked at Ellie, who was unfortunately listening with rapt attention. "_seducing_ Edward." She whispered the last two words so the little pitcher with big ears wouldn't hear.

I choked. "Kate! I am not planning on doing _that_. I don't care for Edward. At all."

"Yeah, right."

"You don't like Daddy?" Ellie asked, eyes wide.

I groaned in frustration.

"Ellie, of course I like your Daddy. It's just that, well…"

"What, Mommy?"

I snatched the dress out of Kate's hands. "It's complicated, baby. I'm going to change. Will you pick out some shoes for me?"

Ellie's fears were forgotten as she dove under the bed for a shoebox.

Kate helped me fix my hair in a loose chignon, and she threw various beauty products at me until she deemed my appearance suitable.

Her frightening reenactment of Alice tugged at my heart.

Ellie had found me a pair of black pumps and I slipped them on… after I walked back downstairs. I was still clumsy Bella, and I was not in the mood to navigate the stairs.

Edward was waiting for me in the kitchen, absently munching on a baby carrot as he waited.

"You look… stunning," he mused, wiping his hands on his jeans and coming towards me.

I blushed. "Thank you."

"Are you ready?"

_As ready as I'll ever be. _

This was incredibly awkward. He wouldn't stop staring… and I silently praised Kate for her intuition. I caught my reflection in the glass window- I _did_ look pretty good, and apparently, Edward thought so too. Or maybe my dress was tucked into my underwear. I looked. It wasn't. Was there something on my face?

"Yes, I'm ready." I fumbled with the small clutch Kate had thrust into my hands.

"Wait, Daddy, I wanna give you a kiss 'bye!" Ellie said, running down the stairs at an alarmingly fast pace. She stumbled on the last step, and my heart leapt into my throat, but Edward effortlessly caught her, sweeping her little body into his arms. He peppered her little face with kisses, then held her out to me.

"Be careful, sweet pea, I think you just gave Mommy a mini heart attack." He said, smirking at me.

I resisted the urge to stick my tongue out at him. I gave Ellie a swift kiss on the forehead, reminding her to be good for Kate, while Edward did the same. He reluctantly sat her back down as we made our way to the front door.

"Wait, Mommy!" Ellie cried, and tugged on the hem of my dress.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked, kneeling down to her level, while Edward looked on concernedly.

"You're… you're coming, back, right? You're not going away, are you?" She murmured shyly, her hazel eyes sparkling with moisture.

I reached and pulled her into my arms. "Of course I'm coming back, honey. I'm just going to have some dinner with your Daddy and then we'll be home."

"Promise?" She sniffed.

"Yes, baby, I promise. Now go have fun with Auntie Kate." I lightly turned her toward Kate, and Edward graciously extended his hand to me as I pushed myself off the floor.

"Alright, get out of here you two, and don't come back for a few hours," Kate joked as she kicked us out of the house.

I blushed again, but Edward just laughed. We walked side by side to his Volvo, and I marveled at how dark it had gotten.

Edward, ever the gentleman, opened my car door for me, shutting it firmly when I was seated inside. He quickly got in and started the car, and before I knew it, we were halfway down the street.

"So, has my daughter driven you insane yet?" Edward asked.

"Actually, she's been good company, seeing as we're alone together all day." I said sharply.

The corners of his eyes tightened. "I'm really sorry about that, Bella. I've just got a lot on my plate-"

Great, now I had made him feel bad, and here he was, trying to be nice by taking me out to dinner.

"I understand, Edward. I can deal, but Ellie gets pretty lonely."

He nodded. "She needs friends her own age."

"Yes."

"I was hoping… after dinner, we could go shopping."

I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Not- not for you," he amended hastily, "There's a few things left that I wanted to get for Ellie, and I thought it would be good to have a woman's opinion. But if you don't want to come, I can always drop you at home."

"Shopping for Ellie is fine, Edward. Thank you for including me."

He chuckled. "I'm just the man with the credit card and no clue about what five year old girls like. Ellie gets pickier every year."

I felt the car come to a stop, and peeked out the window. We were here already? I recognized the restaurant, it was one of Seattle's favorite hangout spots, but the drive from Edward's house (or our house, as he stubbornly referred to it) to here should have taken at least fifteen minutes…

I shuddered to think how fast he must have been going if we made it here in seven.

He opened my door for me once again, and obstinately offered his hand to me once he gave his keys to the valet. I took it, surprised at how cold his hands were. The restaurant was warm and inviting, a pleasant change from the cold we had just come out of. We walked inside, Edward glaring at every man who dared to even breathe my way. They shrank back from his steel gaze and eyes dropped to the floor as I passed.

He was so prone to overreaction.

I briefly wondered if they made prescriptions for 'man PMS'.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes, and the temptation to step on Edward's foot was incredibly wanting.

So I did.

"What the hell, Isabella?" he hissed, wincing in pain, as he waited for the maître'd to acknowledge us.

"Play nicely, Edward. At least someone appreciates the way I look."

His hand left mine, and he wound his arm around my waist.

"Mine," he whispered in my ear, ignoring the other diners who were beginning to stare at us.

"Never," I spat, and turned to twist out of his arms, but his grip was like a vise.

I stopped struggling when a decidedly French voice asked Edward a question.

"Reservation for two, under Cullen, Mr. and Mrs." Edward said smoothly, a hint of a smirk on his face.

"Right this way, Monsieur," the waiter said blithely, as he led us toward a table in the middle of the room.

He pulled out my chair for me, and I moved to sit, but Edward's arm held me back.

"Do you have something a little more private?" He said calmly, although there was a hint of frustration in his voice.

"Sir, it is the day before Valentine's, we are full-" he stuttered.

I could have sworn Edward slipped him a hundred dollar bill.

"More private, sir? Oui, oui, Right this way,"

He escorted us to a booth in the back, with dim lights and flickering candles. I tried not to grimace when I saw the other couples surrounding us, all obviously looking forward to their own V-Day celebrations.

I hate Valentine's Day.

The waiter left us alone with our menus, and we sat in silence while looking over the choices. Unfortunately, most of the menu was in French, and I had a hard time deciphering what each dish contained.

"The mushroom ravioli is quite good," Edward murmured, not looking up.

I huffed in annoyance. I liked to do things for myself, and that included choosing my own food. But I was worried that I would accidentally pick something out with chicken liver or sheep heart in it.

I was by no means a picky eater, but I wasn't _that_ adventurous, either.

This time, his eyes met mine. "What?" he asked oh- so innocently, "French was certainly not your strongest subject in school. I thought I'd help you out. I'm getting the ravioli."

He slid his menu to the edge of the table, and folded his hands on the table top.

I tossed my menu on top of his. "Fine."

I folded my arms to my chest and he frowned.

"Look, Bella, I didn't come here to fight. I truly did want to take you out, and you deserve to get out of the house."

Now all the little puzzle pieces fell into place. He felt sorry for me. That makes the evening so much better. The couple exchanging bodily fluids in the booth next to us really didn't help, either.

"Whatever, Edward."

"Why are you being so uptight, Bella? I'm trying here, I really am! I thought you'd like this! If you don't want to have dinner with me, then just say so. Don't suffer too much on my account."

His voice raised a little at the end of his rant, and I heard the arduous couple next to us stop their unholy activities and listen.

I was just a little bit peeved at this point.

"So, a charity dinner, you taking me out because you feel sorry for me, that's supposed to make me want to be here? Knowing that the only way you'll spend time with me is because you feel _sorry_ for me? That's very noble of you, Edward."

His face looked ashen in the candlelight.

"Bella… I… I'm not doing this because I feel pity for you… Bella, I want to do this… spend time with you. Ellie can't have you all to herself, you know. Bella, can't you… don't you…"

He reached over and took my hand, holding it securely in his own.

"Can't you feel this?" He whispered.

The underlying hint of an electrical current that had been running through my veins every time we touched suddenly made itself known and I gasped.

"Edward, we can't… I can't… you don't…"

He begged me to stop thinking.

"Are you ready to order?"

Our waiter was back, notepad in hand.

"Two mushroom ravioli, and the best white wine you have," Edward said, barely glancing at the man who was jotting down our order.

I suddenly felt very hot and I knew my cheeks were aflame.

The waiter slipped off, and Edward turned his attention to me.

"Bella, please. Just let me try one thing."

I nodded, feeling frozen, like a rabbit caught in the eyes of a snake.

Very romantic illustration, Bella.

He leaned over the narrow table, and brought his other hand to my face, tracing my flushed cheekbone with his thumb.

He came closer, and closer, and I instinctively parted my lips, feeling his warm, untainted breath on my face, steadying myself for what was coming. I could see so clearly in his bottle-green eyes the headiness and determination of what he was about to do. He was not going to mess up his only opportunity.

"Breathe, Bella…" he murmured.

And then, ever so softly, he crashed his lips to mine.

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**A kiss! What's gonna happen now?! Is Bella going to reciprocate or is Edward going to get a slap in the face?!**

'**Confessions of a drama queen' totally refers to Edward. Has he redeemed himself? You all were very angry with him last chapter. I was a little afraid for him. He got called every bad name in the book!**

**And you honestly thought I was going to let him go out with another girl. That DOES NOT mean he is not seeing someone else, though. Keep that in mind.**

**If you didn't quite realize, Ellie's birthday is on Valentine's Day. If we get to 400-450 lovely reviews, Edward will man up and get Bella some flowers and stuff. If not, well, it's not going to be a pleasant day in the Cullen household. So please, don't let Bella down on V-Day. Her life sucks enough.**

**450, please? If you've never reviewed before, please leave me some love! And my anonymous reviewers are the GREATEST!! **

**Anybody wanna wish Ellie a happy 5****th**** birthday? Can anybody guess what she's going wish for when she blows out the candles?**

**Thank you for reading and **_**reviewing**_**!**

**xoxo**


	13. Oltremare

Chapter Thirteen

_Oltremare_

--------------------------------------------------

I tried to breathe. I really did. But Edward's kiss pulled me into the deepest intoxication and time stopped. I was underwater, floating; sounds and sights and lights had blacked out.

Nothing else existed.

Just me and Edward.

The kiss wasn't like any other I'd had before.

It wasn't sloppy, wet, or ill-timed.

It was perfect.

_I do not love you except because I love you;_

I moved my body as close as I could to Edward's, feeling his warm breath on my neck, and the hand that had been cupping my jaw slid down to my waist and pulled me closer.

_I go from loving to not loving you,  
_

Hands caressed.

_From waiting to not waiting for you  
_

Lips touched.

_My heart moves from cold to fire._

Hearts molded.

_I love you only because it's you the one I love;  
_

We were connected- it had been so long, and as close as we had been, we had never broken this treaty of mere friendship.

_I hate you deeply, and hating you  
_

It was like making the Unbreakable Vow- I knew that because I was making a promise to Edward, by giving him just one kiss- if I broke this, I would surely die.

_Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you  
_

The fact that he had been the one to initiate this kiss and that he would have to be the one to end it was comforting. I wouldn't have to do anything.

_Is that I do not see you but love you blindly._

I hadn't thrown myself at him; he had come to me. He would be the one to make whatever relationship we were going to have and he would have to be the one to destroy it.

_Maybe January light will consume my heart with its cruel Ray, stealing my key to true calm._

All I had to do was accept what he was willing to give me and enjoy it.

_In this part of the story I am the one who Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,  
_

One of my hands moved of its own accord into his luxurious bronze hair- it was so soft. I twisted my fingers into his sensitive tendrils, joyously feeling the shudder that ran through his body at my touch.

I made him feel.

_Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood._

I wasn't sure what the emotion was.

Love.

Lust?

Hope.

Fear?

The pain that was to come, or the happiness that could be.

I could feel my heart flying in my chest. The beats were fast and erratic, the sounds ringing in my ears. It was the sort of kiss where you could feel the electricity; the live current that pulsed through my veins and drew me to Edward. The fireworks and butterflies battled for dominance in my stomach, and my vision blurred.

I was lost.

In green eyes and wild hair, warm lips and soft touches.

I couldn't help but feel how _right_ it was.

I was kissing Edward.

Not Edward, my heartbreaker, or Edward, my husband.

Just Edward.

In that instant, I knew him.

It was like we had never been apart. Not that we had ever been _together_, but… the way my body fit to his, the heat that flamed my cheeks, my wild pulse… that was all Edward.

His doing. He trapped me. In his spell. Green eyes dazzling, dizzying. Red lips whispering, pressing. Ivory hands, clutching, twisting. It was all him. He surrounded me, filled me, drowned me.

Edward, who I had once loved.

And could possibly love again?

His long, pianist fingers drummed a tune, up and down my ribs, creating a melody he only understood.

In the space of time that we kissed, which was not much, perhaps all of fifteen seconds, I contemplated several things.

What did this kiss mean?

Was it even that good of a kiss, or was my subconscious just playing everything up because I was getting some?

What was Edward thinking?

It was kind of hard to think when said man had my bottom lip between his teeth.

I could have sworn he was part vampire.

With the late nights, speed demon driving, and the penchant for biting.

I closed my eyes and pressed my lips one last time to his, before feeling his lips reluctantly pull from mine.

I had let it get too far, and I had to stop before I drowned in my own emotions.

Where was I going to go from here?

I winced as I pulled away, my chest heaving and my lungs aching for breath. He looked breathless and disheveled too, bronze hair sticking up in odd angles and his lips swollen.

Had I really done that to him?

I couldn't speak, but searched his eyes.

They were filled with unknown emotion.

"Edward," I breathed, finally finding my voice.

I didn't wriggle out of his embrace. The hand that had taken up residence on my lower back tensed to move, but I pushed myself closer to him, silently communicating that I wasn't ready to let go.

"Bella," he said, softly, his voice husky.

"What was that?" I asked, more curious than anything.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, looking down at the table between us, hiding his face from me.

He was sorry?

For what?

My mind raced, and I struggled to breathe normally.

I came to one devastating conclusion.

I had failed his test.

The kiss, and the intimacy we had just shared… he didn't want it.

I wasn't good enough.

I wasn't surprised.

"Bella, please, tell me what you're thinking- Lord, I wish I could read your mind." He lifted his head, and searched my face.

It felt like he could see every vulnerability in me, every flaw, every vice. It scared me.

His hands fell from around my waist, and I felt like I was breaking.

Rejected twice by the same man.

_Don't you get it, Bella?_

_He doesn't want you. He never has._

"Bella, please! I'm sorry- I didn't mean for that to get out of hand. I'm sorry- so sorry, love. I- I can take you home, you don't have to stay with me…

I just had to kiss you."

He called me love.

I was so confused.

"Edward, what are you talking about?"

His shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I…Bella, there is something between us. I know there is, and I felt it," He tugged at his hair. "That kiss… that was the best one… I've ever had. And I'm so sorry, Bella, for forcing myself on you- I have no right to beg any affection from you, especially after all the pain I caused you…"

I felt it would have been incredibly rude to tell him to shut up, especially since he seemed to emotionally distraught, so I did the next best effective thing.

I leaned over the table, and kissed him again.

This time, there was no hesitance, and I felt myself falling through space.

When we broke away for the second time, the smile on his face could have lit up the streets of Seattle.

"Bella…"

"Edward, I… I don't know… what to do… or where this leaves us?"

"Am I forgiven?" He asked, bluntly, curiously.

"A thousand times over."

He impulsively stole another kiss, face burning with a shy blush.

"Thank you, Bella," he breathed in my ear.

I had let go of the pain, and was ready to start anew. Whatever hate or malice I had held towards him had evaporated. I was willing to try again. To blossom, only for him, to open myself up, just for him.

He was the only one worthy of any privileges I had to give.

Edward, the one who had torn me so badly, wounded me so deeply, was the only one I could ever trust with my heart.

As strange as that worked.

The man in the apron was back surprisingly fast with our entrée's and I had a sneaking suspicion that it was due to the large amount of money Edward had slipped him.

Edward poured our wine, his eyes sparkling feverishly, riding out my same high.

It was unreal, and I felt like Cinderella.

It was only eight in the evening; would the magic fade at the stroke of twelve?

Edward and I made small conversation while we ate, sharing food and wine glasses.

Nothing could break the bubble we had created.

For the first time in fifteen years, we talked.

About everyone and everything.

I was too afraid to shatter the moment, and did not press him for the whereabouts of his extended family.

When he was ready, he would tell me.

Or so I thought.

We sat in the small, crowded French restaurant, hands entwined and hearts connected, for hours.

The happy waiter finally kicked us out at ten o'clock, and we stumbled out into the freezing weather, Edward's arms wrapped around me. We laughed, hiccupping, even though we weren't even tipsy.

Wasn't there a song that reference to being drunk on love or something like that?

Was I in love, or was my overactive imagination taking things to new heights?

I wasn't ready to fall in love, but I was willing to try.

I had to talk with Edward. The restaurant hadn't seemed the place for such a conversation. I hoped when we got… home, that maybe we could… define ourselves and this newfound… friendship (_friends don't kiss, silly Bella_)… relationship… whatever we had together.

I wasn't sure what it was, but I liked it.

I hadn't felt so giddy in ages. My Valentine's Day certainly looked more promising than it did a few hours ago.

We ran to his car, and jumped in, chuckling when we caught glimpses of ourselves in the mirror.

Flushed faces, gleaming eyes, and messy hair, damp with snowflakes.

We looked… like two people in love…

Reminiscent of the disgustingly sweet people in the restaurant.

Edward drove to a small, upscale toy store in down town Seattle, parking the car, and eagerly helping me out.

"I want to show you what I got her," he said excitedly.

The shop sign said it was closed, but when Edward knocked on the dark door, an older gentleman opened it and a smile creased his weathered face.

"Ah, Mr. Cullen," he said warmly, "Come in, it was finished this morning,"

He opened the door to let us in, and we stepped inside the small store, stamping slush from our boots and removing our coats.

The man led us to the back of the toy store, and in one of the work rooms, on a table, stood the most magnificent doll house I had ever seen.

Amidst curls of wood and sprinkles of sawdust, a miniature version of Edward's house faced me. It was unreal, and must have cost him a fortune.

Edward tugged on my hand, and we inspected the little house closely.

Everything, down to the bricks and flower shrubs, was an exact replica of the brownstone house. I looked at Edward in amazement, and he simply smirked, pulling me to see the back of the doll house.

I gasped.

It was all open, so you could see all three levels of the house clearly.

There was a little fireplace in the living room, miniature Van Goghs hanging on the delicately papered walls. The dining room, kitchen, library, all had been recreated and placed in the house. Everything matched the house, from the carpet to the light fixtures.

I shuddered to think how much it must have cost.

I quickly searched for my blue room in the replica, smiling when I saw it. A lithe, brown haired doll sat on the bed, reading a book. I had been included in Ellie's present.

I looked for Edward's figure, my smile growing when I saw that the gleeful toymaker had perched him in the bathtub- fully clothed. Ellie's little miniature was in the playroom, surrounded with the small scale versions of playthings she had at home.

What a gift.

"Do you think she'll like it?" Edward asked shyly, looking more at the impressive creation than at me.

"Edward… she'll love it. It's amazing," I said reverently, touching the polished wood of the roof with my fingertips.

The toymaker laughed, and I looked up, slightly startled.

"Edward, stop being so modest, this took you quite a while. You should be proud of your work."

My jaw dropped, and I turned to look at Edward, who was blushing red.

"You made this?" I said loudly, my voice ringing with astonishment.

He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.

"Yeah… I did get a lot of help, though… from Phil," he motioned to the toymaker, "I'm a CIA agent, not a carpenter. That's kind of why I've been gone so much, I wanted to give Ellie something really special…to… to make up for…" He trailed off, hands back in his hair.

"Edward, your gift is amazing. And it's even more special, because you made it." I said soothingly, placing a hand on his arm.

"I didn't get to finish the wainscoting, and the color of the floor is all wrong," he murmured, running a pale finger across the dry paint.

Phil chuckled, and slapped Edward on the shoulder. "Listen to your young lady, Edward, it's perfect for your baby girl. Now, get out of my shop, I need to get home. Did you want pink or purple ribbon?" he asked, going over to a wall with spools of shiny colored ribbons.

"Pink," Edward said softly, still staring at his handiwork.

I was incredibly humbled by his actions. I had been so sure, so quick to doubt his motives, of why he had been taking such long hours, when in reality, he was working on a present for his little girl, so she would know she wasn't forgotten.

He was a normal, human parent, afraid of losing his child's affections.

He couldn't be with his baby as much as he wanted to be, and I never realized, until now, how much that must have pained him. He couldn't wrap himself up in pink ribbon, with a promise to stay so he gave her the next best thing.

Something he had made with his own two hands. Something he sweat over, probably cried over, and definitely bleed over- the bruises and scrapes on his hands and forearms were certainly the product of carpenter's tools.

Phil cut a long strand of wide, ballerina pink ribbon, and gently wrapped it over the dollhouse, making a large bow in the front. He helped Edward carry it out to the car and they carefully placed it in the backseat of the Volvo.

We went back inside, and Edward thanked Phil many times over, who had taught him how to construct the doll house, and had put the finishing touches on it for him. Edward led me along the toy cluttered aisles of the store, begging me for help on picking out a few last things for Ellie. I got some things for her too, extra dolls for her little house, a new watercolor paint set, and a hardback copy of Peter Pan. I hoped we would be able to read it together before I had to leave.

We paid for our purchases, thanking Phil one last time and hurrying home, seeing as it was past eleven.

I wasn't ready for the spell to break.

I helped Edward bring the dollhouse inside, and we set it in the living room, facing the stairs, so it would be the first thing Ellie saw when she came downstairs.

I shook a groggy Kate awake, thanking her for her help with Ellie, and insisting she see Edward's present before she left.

Kate _oohed_ and _aahed _over the mini house, excitedly asking us to call her once Ellie saw it, and then let herself out the door, yawning.

Edward and I left her other gifts in the living room, and then slowly walked upstairs to check on the birthday girl before we turned in for the night.

I quietly opened her bedroom door, and we gazed at Ellie, her little body curled up in the big bed, sucking her thumb. She was so precious.

Edward bent, running a smooth hand over her little face and adorable curls, before kissing her on the forehead.

"Good night, baby," he whispered, with a little emotion in his voice.

No man wants to see his little girl grow up.

I planted a kiss on her rosy cheek, before making sure the covers were securely tucked around her small frame, before exiting the bedroom, Edward right behind me.

We said our goodnights awkwardly, not really sure what to do.

I turned and headed for my room, but Edward tenderly touched my wrist, and I turned to face him.

He bent, slightly, and kissed me full on the mouth, softly, but passionately.

"Goodnight, Bella."

As I lay in bed that night, he on one side of the house and I on the other, I couldn't help but feel that we were closer than we had ever been before.

I held my breath when I heard the grandfather clock in the living room strike twelve.

My fragile spell had yet to break.

I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

That was the first night that I dreamt of Edward Cullen.

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*****PLEASE READ*****

**BIGGEST CHAPTER EVER for you, and how did you like Ellie's present?! I always wanted a dollhouse when I was little.**

**So. What do you think is going to happen? They're a little far from reality right now, and still have issues they need to sort out. They're not together, yet- just sort of testing the waters. Edward is truly forgiven!**

**I think the one question is- what's going to happen if their relationship ends badly? I think both Bella and Edward are afraid of hurting each other again, and… little Ellie. She already sees Bella as her mommy- what happens when it's time for Bella to go?**

**Should they even be together? Is Bella really falling in love? Or are hormones and loneliness drawing her to Edward? It could be very dangerous for her to be involved with Edward.**

**We'll get to see more of Edward pretty soon, and what he's thinking. Review if you want an Edward POV. I'll do it if you guys really want it. **

**It'll be easier to pretend they're married now that they actually like each other, huh? :) Don't forget the juicy poll on my page!!**

**The poem in italics is by Pablo Neruda, "I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You". The chapter title means "over- seas"- Bella has finally crossed over her hateful emotions and is willing to be peaceable with Edward. The song, Oltremare, by Ludovico Einaudi, is also another song I listened to. And, of course, that last line is straight from Twilight.**

**I've never ever, written almost 1,000 words just for a kiss, so I hope I did it justice. **

**The reviews were so wonderful last chapter. Please, please keep them coming. I really need the support, especially since my first week of college is next week, and I have no idea how I'm going to have time to write.**

**Could we push over 500? Maybe? You guys are the greatest!! **

**Ellie's birthday is next chapter, and she thanks you for all the birthday wishes!**

**xoxo**

**500? :)**


	14. This Ain't a Fairytale

Chapter Fourteen

_This Ain't a Fairytale_

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"Mommy! Wake up! It's my _birthday_, Mommy! _Wake up_!" I felt a little body jump on my bed and I groaned. It couldn't have been past seven in the morning and I was exhausted. Mentally, physically, emotionally… something had changed last night, between Edward and I. He kissed me, and I kissed him back. But where did that leave us? Now, feeling the after effects of our giddiness and expensive French wine, I wasn't sure that there was going to be a repeat of last night.

"Mmph," I moaned, turning my body and burrowing deeper into the mattress, tucking my pillow under my head.

"_Mommy_," Ellie whined impatiently, smacking my rear through the blanket, "Daddy says I can't open my presents until you wake up, so please come downstairs, Mommy? Daddy made pancakes,"

I could just see her little bottom lip sticking out in the infamous Cullen pout.

I grabbed Ellie's leg, and pulled her onto the bed beside me, smirking when I heard her little shriek of surprise. I began tickling her little sides, relishing the sound of her laughter. I stopped when her face began to turn pink, and placed a kiss on her forehead, pushing strands of her red-gold hair out of her eyes.

"Happy birthday, Pumpkin," I said genuinely, my grogginess having quickly subsided.

"Thank you, Mommy, now please, get out of bed?" she pleaded.

Reluctantly, I stumbled out of bed, ignoring Ellie's giggles upon her seeing my haystack- looking hair. She watched me curiously as I put in my contacts, brushed my teeth, and tamed my hair.

She would tug on my pajama leg every forty seconds, complete with a "_Mommy_…"

I had just finished washing my face when a third person joined us in the bedroom.

"Ellie, what are you doing up here? I thought I told you not to wake up Mommy-"

"But I- Pancakes, Daddy?!"

I turned to see Edward in his trademark tee shirt and pajama pants, holding a tray with a plate stacked high with chocolate chip pancakes, a glass of orange juice, and a little vase with a freesia tucked inside of it.

"You weren't supposed to get out of bed, Bella," he said, a frown gracing his face, "Ellie and I wanted to make you breakfast."

"Why?"

He looked at me confusedly, then smiled.

"Even though it is my darling daughter's birthday, it is also Valentine's Day, and well, it should be special."

"Edward, you didn't have to do this for me," I said, clutching a hand towel, my face burning red.

"I wanted to. Now, come eat it, before it gets cold."

He walked out of the bathroom, and placed the tray on my bed. I put my hair up in a ponytail, and gingerly slid back in bed, Ellie scooting in next to me. Edward sat at the foot of the bed- not too close, but not too far either- and handed me a fork and knife.

He watched me eat with sparkling eyes, claiming he had already eaten, but when I heard his stomach rumble, I knew better.

I cut a bite of pancake with my fork, and held it out to him. He raised his eyebrow, sneaking a glance at Ellie, then carefully ate off my fork. I watched in pathetic fascination as he slowly chewed the fluffy pancake, and the swallowed, Adam's apple bobbing.

How I wanted to be that fork.

_Get a grip, Bella, and eat your breakfast before it gets cold. _

Of course, when Ellie saw that I was giving out samples, she wanted some pancake too, so the large stack was quickly devoured between the three of us. Edward was a good cook- his pancakes were delicious.

When I was done, and Edward took my tray back downstairs, I sent Ellie to go get dressed while I showered. The hot water eased my frayed nerves. I was still unsure of where I stood with Edward. He had given no indication that last night had even been a distant memory, which worried me. Did he think that he had made a mistake? Or was he unwilling to display his feelings in front of his daughter?

I prayed for the latter.

I quickly dressed in my Wendy costume, feeling slightly silly, but shaking it off, knowing that the smile on Ellie's face would be worth it. My hair was naturally wavy, and I pulled half of my long brown locks up with a clip, and left the rest curling past my shoulders. I slipped on the blue dress, and put on the flats, checking my reflection in the mirror one last time before scooting out of my bedroom.

I found Ellie in her room, costume halfway on and shimmery wings askew. I quickly helped her into the rest of her Tinkerbell getup, hoping to stave off birthday tears. After tying up Ellie's hair, and making her promise not to peek at her presents downstairs, I dusted my hands on my dress and headed to Edward's bedroom- his green tights and Peter Pan hat tucked under my arm.

I half-ran down the hall, wincing at the sound of my bare feet slapping the wooden floor. I arrived breathless at Edward's door, instinctively looking behind me, over both shoulders. I was a little paranoid. I knocked once, twice, on the door.

Edward opened the door in all his disheveled glory, bronze hair damp from his own shower. He wore no shirt, just jeans, but I saw his costume draped over the back of a chair in the corner of the room behind him.

He looked confused. "Bella? Are you alright? Did you need something?" he asked, opening the bedroom door wider and ushering me in.

"I came to give you these," I said softly, holding out the hat and tights. He smiled when he held up the hat, but froze in horror when he opened the package of tights.

"Bella… I can't wear these!" he cried, dropping the tights like they were on fire.

I rolled my eyes and picked up the pair of green hose from the floor. "Edward, it's just for a few hours. Put them on and come down stairs, Ellie's dying to open her presents."

He folded his arms across his chest and scowled at me.

"I refuse to cross dress, Bella."

"Vanity kills, Edward. It's not like you have to go outside in your getup, although I will drag you downtown in your tights if you don't stop fussing. It's for Ellie, remember? Be down in two- I think I hear wrapping paper tearing." I moved to step outside, but he caught my wrist, just like he had last night.

I whirled to face him, a biting reply already forming in my head if he was going to complain about the costume.

"Bella, about last night…" he said quietly, his face suddenly flushed.

My heart did that strange fluttering thing again and I braced myself for impact. Now the truth would come out.

"Y-yes?" I stammered, my face heating and heart thumping.

"I think… Bella… that maybe…" he hesitated, running a hand through his hair again.

I could feel my little bubble of happiness crash around my ears.

"It would be better if we were friends."

I shattered and my eyes welled up with tears.

"Of course," I said coldly, my voice cracking, and twisted my wrist free of his grasp.

I was so stupid to think someone like Edward would ever actually want to be with someone like me.

Plain, clumsy Bella.

The _perfect_ wife.

Not.

I walked out of his bedroom, not daring to fall apart lest I catch a glimpse of his face.

I stumbled down the steps, wiping my eyes with my sleeve.

Way to get your hopes up, Bella.

I rounded the corner and saw that Ellie was sitting on the living room couch, one of Edward's ties serving as blindfold on her face- because, apparently it was 'tradition'. She was wriggling with impatience, and I stifled a laugh, even though I could feel the bitter sting of rejection throbbing inside me.

"Can I open my presents now, Mommy?" she called, her little hands outstretched, seeking me out.

"Wait for your Daddy, baby," I said quietly, surreptitiously checking my reflection in the hall way mirror. My eyes were slightly red rimmed and my pale face was flushed, but other than that, I looked collected, and with luck, Ellie wouldn't notice a thing.

Edward came down the stairs a minute after me, and I would have poked fun at his costume, were it not for my bleak mood. He put on quite the show for Ellie, and I soon joined in the fun of watching her little face light up each time she tore the wrapping paper off a new gift, forgetting my own unhappiness.

Today was about Ellie.

Edward saved the best present for last, and I was pretty sure I had tears in my eyes from watching both he and Ellie enjoy the dollhouse.

She loved it.

She clung to Edward as he showed her all the little intricate details of the house- the ones _he_ had made, with his own two hands.

It was also pretty funny to watch him maneuver around in his tights. Where was a camera when you needed one?

Edward and I silently cleaned up the wrapping paper and bows when Ellie was done opening her presents.

He kept trying to make eye contact with me, and even 'accidentally' brushed up against me, but his efforts were rewarded with a swift glare from me.

Ellie graciously let us put our normal clothes on, and I took the stairs two at a time going upstairs- I had to get away from Edward, or I was going to combust.

--

When we were both in normal clothes, Edward and I sat in the living room, me doing a crossword puzzle, and he putting together one of Ellie's more complicated toys.

How very romantic on Valentine's Day.

We didn't speak- there were words that needed to be said, but… there was no good way to say them, and I was not going to start a fight with him in front of Ellie.

Edward visibly jumped when his cell phone beeped from inside his pants' pocket, indicating he had a new text message. I watched his face curiously when he read it- his eyes darkened, and his face paled.

It was obviously not a good message.

I looked on in silent fascination as he got up from his seat, and walked over to where Ellie was playing with her toys.

"I'm so sorry, baby, but Daddy has to go,"

_He did not just say that._

Ellie's little face fell, and she let her toys fall to the floor.

"Daddy, it's my birthday! We haven't had cake yet! You can't leave!" She cried, tugging on his pant leg. Tears were beginning to fall from her hazel eyes and I knew a temper tantrum was on the way.

"You can have cake with Mommy, sweet pea. But Daddy has to go." He said softly. He looked at me pleadingly, and even though I was upset with him for missing the rest of Ellie's birthday, I knew he wouldn't go unless it was a dire emergency. My heart leapt in my throat when he mouthed, '_Demetri_', and I knew it was very serious.

"But you always have to go, Daddy! Don't go, stay here!"

I pulled Ellie off of him, and scooped her up in my arms, where she promptly buried her face in my neck, crying.

"Goodbye, sweet pea," he said softly, brushing a hand over her hair, wincing when she flinched at his touch.

"I'll be back soon, Bella. Don't wait up for me."

"Edward, is it really important that you go? Can't this wait?"

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Bella, we are about to lose Demetri's account. I have to get a lead, do some following up. The embezzlement and fraud has gotten worse, not better, and I need to fix that, or there are going to be some major problems."

"Edward, it's her birthday," I pleaded softly, not wanting to upset him.

His eyes visibly darkened. "I know Bella, don't you think I know that? I need to do this."

"So you're choosing your work over your family?"

"I _never_ said that. Bella, I…"

He was mad now. He took Ellie out of my arms, and told her to go play in her room- where she wouldn't hear us fight.

"No, Daddy, I don't want to! I wanna play with my doll house!" Ellie screamed, her face red and blotchy with tears.

"Esme Elizabeth…" he said warningly, then ran a hand through his hair. "I can't deal with this right now."

He gently took my elbow, and we stepped into the foyer, where Ellie couldn't hear or see us.

"Bella, don't you think it kills me to leave and go deal with my job? Do you know how many times I've had to do this? A few Christmases, her third birthday, when we've been on vacation… I do what I have to do to keep my family safe, Bella. Even if it means I have to sacrifice spending precious time with them.

You and Ellie are all that I have, and I need to protect you both. If something happened…" his voice cracked, and I looked up into his eyes- really looked, and I saw the pain and sadness hiding there.

My heart broke for him. He was hurting enough, and I, as his wife, was not supposed to tear him down when he was low- even if he didn't care about me 'that way'.

"Oh, Edward…" I wrapped my arms around him, and he rested his head on top of mine. I squeezed his body as tightly as I could, wanting the anguish he felt to simply go away.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I murmured into his shirt, "go do what you need to do, and I'll put Ellie to bed. We can have birthday cake tomorrow."

He kissed the top of my head. "Thank you, Bella." He gently let me go, and walked over to Ellie, who was sulking in front of her doll house.

"I love you, sweet pea," he said, bending down and kissing her forehead, "be good for Mommy- I'll be back to tuck you in bed, and maybe we can read Peter Pan tonight, okay?"

Tears welled up in Ellie's eyes, and I noticed Edward's had begun to sparkle as well.

She hugged him goodbye, and he picked her up and gave her to me.

"Bye, Daddy," Ellie said softly, before she put her thumb in her mouth and laid her head against my shoulder.

"Be safe, Edward," I echoed, my voice quivering- I didn't know why I was so emotional- but I could feel myself caring more and more about Edward's well- being as time went by. I didn't want anything to happen to him- even if the only future we were going to have together was a fake one.

He chuckled, and then bent down to kiss me on the forehead. "I'm not going to war, you two, just the office. I'll be back before you know it."

He gave me one last lingering, scorching kiss that left my lips tingling, before walking out the door.

I very nearly dropped Ellie when the door slammed shut.

Didn't he say we should be just friends?

Because 'just friends' do not, under any circumstances, French kiss.

Ellie was adamant that we save the cake 'for when Daddy came home' so I carefully wrapped it in plastic wrap and placed it in the refrigerator. She was totally content with playing with her new toys for the rest of the afternoon, and I sent her outside to play for a little while before she took a nap. She fell asleep in her bed, with the three dollhouse figurines safely encased in her little arms.

Edward was gone for the entire day, as promised, and after dinner I had let Ellie stay up past her bedtime, in hopes that he would come home before it got too late in the evening. I had finally pulled out my cell phone and sent him a text.

_When are you going to be home? Ellie's getting cranky – B_

_:( I'm so sorry, Bella, my meeting ran late. Please put Ellie to bed and please make sure the guest bedroom is presentable- we're having company- can't talk about it right now. I owe you – E_

Who uses the word presentable in a text message?

And who was this 'company'?

Would I finally get to meet the person who was obviously taking so much of his time?

And was it a woman?

I put a very unhappy Ellie to bed sans the Peter Pan reading (apparently I failed as a narrator), and as I tidied the other guest room, my annoyance with Edward grew.

I never had the chance to hash it out with him last night, seeing as how he had so very sneakily taken me to dinner, but when he and his _guest _came home, I was going to let him have it- behind closed doors, of course.

I listlessly roamed about the house, straightening flowers in their vases and organizing DVDs, before finally flopping down on the couch and reading a magazine I had pretty much committed to memory a few days earlier.

The incessant bubble of irritation with Edward was fighting to boil over, and I fought to keep my temper in check as I surveyed the colorful magazine pages.

The sound of the garage door opening was the most welcome thing I had heard all day. I got up, and went into the kitchen- the best place to intercept Edward when he came in.

I knew he wouldn't be alone when he came in, and I knew that there was a fifty percent chance that it would be a woman.

What I didn't know was that Edward had brought my worst nightmare home to roost.

Demetri was standing in my foyer, monogrammed suitcases in tow, with a weary and pale Edward beside him.

I was going to be sick.

**---------------------------------------------------------------------**

**No Edward bashing, please. Everything he does is for a reason. Demetri's back, ya'll. Cross your fingers and hold on tight.**

**Uhm, the reviews literally plummeted last chapter, and I'm still wondering what I did wrong. Less than a ¼ of you left me your thoughts. Was it really that bad, guys? I was so disappointed, and I was ****incredibly unmotivated to write or post****. It's really frustrating that I get alerts and favorites pouring in, but hardly any feedback concerning my story. **

**Also, if you're looking for lemons or foul language in this story, please look elsewhere. TGND will ****not**** include sexual content of ****any ****kind, or mature material. **

**New poll up- ****"Who do you think Ellie's mother is?"**** Please vote!**

**Thank you for all your support! **

**I'd like to get to ****at least**** 600. I've had a sad, emotional week, and a funeral is my next social activity, so I could really use some encouraging responses. **

**Let's make the T rated fics just as popular as the M rated ones!**** :)**


	15. Too Close for Comfort

Chapter Fifteen

_Too Close for Comfort_

---------------------------------------------

"Mrs. Cullen," Demetri crooned in an oily voice, "so good to see you again."

I nodded mutely, fighting down the bile that was rising in my throat.

Edward quickly stepped around Demetri and his array of suitcases, and encircled me in his arms. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as soon as he touched me- his presence calmed me instantly.

"Sweetheart," Edward said softly, brushing his lips across my forehead, "Demetri is going to be staying with us for a little while- is the guest room made up?"

His eyes were pleading me to not ask any questions.

I found my voice, and put a smile on my face- I still had a job to do.

"Of course, honey. Do you want to show him upstairs?"

Edward nodded, and let go of me to help Demetri with his luggage. I was dying to know why he was here- and I felt very threatened by his presence in _our_ house.

"Mommy?" I heard a sleepy little voice call from the top of the stairs.

Ellie was standing there in her footie pajamas, holding her blanket and rubbing her eyes. She looked curiously at Demetri, and I had the strongest urge to shield her from him. He was up to no good and I did not want this wicked man around Ellie.

Edward was faster than I, however, and I watched in mute fascination as he flew up the stairs and gathered Ellie in his arms, then walked back to me, one arm slipping around my waist.

I turned and smoothed Ellie's hair away from her face, noticing that her forehead seemed warm.

"Mommy, I'm thirsty," she said softly, sneaking another glance at Demetri.

"Is this the little miss Esme I've heard so much about?"

Edward visibly stiffened when he heard Demetri say that.

"Yes, this is our daughter, Ellie."

Demetri stayed where he was, but I could see cruel curiosity in his eyes. He clasped his hands behind his back in a jovial manner, but the stiffness of his shoulders and the way that he was standing (feet apart, chest out) betrayed him. He was suspicious.

"It's my birthday today!" Ellie piped up, startling me, "I am a whole five years old!" she looked at Demetri expectantly, waiting for him to wish her a happy birthday, or better yet, produce a present.

I suddenly got the feeling that if anyone was going to be getting a gift from Demetri, it wouldn't exactly be a pleasant one.

Didn't Captain Hook wrap up a bomb as a present for Peter Pan?

I shivered, and took Ellie out of Edward's arms.

"Let's go get you a drink, sweet pea," I said, willing my voice not to shake as we stepped out of the foyer.

I set Ellie on the kitchen counter as I filled up a small glass with water. She drank greedily from it, some water spilling onto her pajamas.

"Slow down, baby, you're going to get all wet," I admonished gently, dabbing at the wet spots with a washcloth.

"Mommy? Who is that man?" she asked innocently, cocking her head to the side, and looking at me expectantly.

"He's… one of Daddy's friends, baby."

This gave her pause.

"He doesn't look like a friend. He looks mean." She said matter- of- factly, daring me to disagree.

I rubbed my clammy hands on my temples. I was getting a migraine.

"Don't worry about him, honey. Finish your water- you need to be in bed."

"But I'm not sleepy," she whined, handing me back her water cup. "Besides, Daddy's home now- can we read Peter Pan now?"

"I'm afraid not, honey, Daddy has some work to do."

I helped her off the counter, and we walked hand in hand upstairs. I tucked her back in bed with a hug and a kiss, brushing her unruly hair out of her eyes. I made sure that the sheets and duvets were secure, and that the nightlight was still plugged in, before walking out and shutting the door.

As I closed it behind me, I heard her little voice murmur to herself, "Daddy always has to work to do."

I didn't know how to respond to that.

--

"Thank you again, Mr. Cullen. I appreciate you welcoming me into your home. If you don't mind, I think I'll just grab a book before bed. You have quite an extensive library."

Edward smiled tightly. "Of course, Mr. Schwartz. Make yourself at home. Bella and I are going to turn in, but feel free to continue your reading."

Demetri smiled widely, and walked into the open library to get his reading material. Unfortunately, the library was directly across from Edward's bedroom, which meant Demetri got a clear view of who went in and who went out of the bedroom. Edward and I went in the bedroom, and I sat on the bed, while Edward patrolled the door. As soon as Demetri picked out his book, I was free to go.

Edward's bedroom was quite luxurious for a man, or so I thought. The centerpiece of his room was the wrought iron bedstead and gold comforter, which perfectly matched the heavy drapes on the wall, while still coordinating with the pale carpet on the floor. The enormous walk in closet and spacious bathroom were things most women would kill to have.

Everything was so… nice. Edward had done well for himself, and I secretly envied the woman who would one day become his real wife. She would never want for anything.

Yes, Edward has everything a person would want, but at what cost?

The man had abandoned his five year old daughter on her birthday.

He rarely saw his family.

He moved around frequently.

His life and the lives of those he loved were in constant danger.

At what point did the price become too much to pay?

Did he even realize what he was doing?

I found it hard to believe that Edward would sell his soul for luxury.

Methodical, practical Edward had a justifiable reason for everything he did.

_Except for breaking your heart, sweetie._

Why couldn't I let the past go?

_Because there's an excellent chance that it'll happen again._

I wanted to keep the wound fresh in my mind, to remind me of what the human heart is capable of and what it did to me.

_That's sick, Bella._

How else was I going to protect myself from getting hurt?

For that, I had no answer.

But every day, I found it less and less probable that the beautiful, harried man pacing in front of me was going to break my heart again.

He couldn't.

He wouldn't.

But he never promised not to.

I heard him groan softly and pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Edward? What is it?" I called quietly, half rising from my sitting position.

"He's _still_ there- sitting on the couch with a book in his hand. Curse me and my big mouth. Why did I let him go in there?" Edward slumped down to the floor.

"Well, maybe he'll get tired soon and leave," I suggested hopefully.

But twenty minutes later, Demetri Schwartz was still sitting on Edward's couch, chuckling over his novel.

"Why don't you go to bed already?" Edward hissed softly, as if he was talking to Demetri, watching the suspicious man through the slightly ajar bedroom door. He closed the door after a minute, and seemed to be lost in a train of thought.

Suddenly, he straightened up and snapped his fingers.

"You'll just have to sleep in here tonight," he said in an even voice, walking over to his dresser and pulling out a gray tee shirt and plaid boxer shorts.

"Edward," I half gasped, "I can't stay in here! All my stuff is in the other room."

He chuckled. "I'm sorry Bella, but I've got to go to bed. Big day tomorrow."

"But I can't share your bed," I snapped. "What if your daughter walks in here in the middle of the night and finds us together? There's a domino effect to this, Edward."

"I never said we'd be sharing a bed. I'll sleep in the closet." He said nonchalantly, and began to pull his shirt over his head. I stifled a groan (or was it a moan?) at his unashamed display and walked into the bathroom to change.

Edward's clothes fit me as best as they could, and I still had to roll the waistband of the shorts a few times, but the best thing about this donated sleepwear was that it smelled just like him. A spicy sweet mixture of mint and the great outdoors- it wasn't exactly something I could explain, but it was a comforting scent, and being the feeble woman I was, I was drawn to it. I sniffed the shirt as inconspicuously as I could as I threw all the extra pillows off the bed and tossed one at Edward.

He winked at me and walked into the closet, setting the pillow on the ground. He then pulled his long trench coat that he had worn the day before off the hanger and laid down with it. He covered himself with the coat- using it as a blanket to sleep under.

I stifled the urge to laugh at him as I settled into the big bed. I did felt a teeny bit bad for him. His feet stuck out, and the floor had to be uncomfortable. I toyed with the idea of inviting him to share the bed, seeing as we were both chaste adults and that it was pretty cold in the house, even with the mountains of blankets I had on.

I sighed.

"Edward?"

--

"Now, no funny business, Mrs. Cullen. Unless you're planning on making up for the honeymoon we never had?" he teased, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

"Shut up and get in, Edward, before I decide to kick you out," I grumbled, wondering why I had encouraged him to share the bed with me.

He started laughing at me as I placed a rolled up blanket and a few long pillows between us, creating a barrier that separated our bodies.

"Seriously, Bella? I'm not going to molest you in your sleep."

_Truth be told, I was more worried about controlling myself than distancing him._

"I'm just being pragmatic, Edward. What if Ellie comes in here?"

He rolled his eyes. "She's out for the count Bella. She won't be conscious until seven in the morning."

I placed the last pillow at the foot of the bed and gingerly climbed in. I lay stiffly on my back, arms folded across my chest. I was really cold from being in and out of the bed, and I was freezing. My left foot touched something warm, and I instinctively snuggled into it.

"Good grief, Bella, your feet are cold!" Edward said, and I felt the pillow-blanket barrier move.

I jumped and recoiled, shocked that I had been cozying into Edward.

But he was really warm…

I turned onto my side, away from Edward, and tried to fall asleep.

That was a bit difficult, seeing as I was less than a foot away from a man that I loved and despised equally, and twenty feet away from a man that was possibly planning to kill us all.

--

I was perplexed as to why my pillow had a heartbeat.

I lifted my head and squinted my eyes, trying to focus my vision in spite of the bright morning sunlight. I struggled to sit up, but strong, heavy, incredibly _warm _restraints held me back.

I smiled softly and snuggled into the depths of the bed, and the heat source I was wrapped around. This was the perfect way to wake up on a cold February morning.

And this pillow of mine was quite amazing. It was nicely heated and even sleepily mumbled my name.

Wait a second.

!

Edward!

!

A quick glance to the south revealed that I had pretty much climbed on top of the poor man. I had wrapped my legs around his, and my head had been resting on his chest.

I shot up out of the bed in horror as I realized what I had done.

The first thing I noticed was that all the pillows and rolled up blankets had been unceremoniously dumped on the ground…on my side of the bed.

The second thing I did was pry myself out of Edward's grasp and leap out of the bed. That was easier said than done, so my foot ended up getting tangled in the sheets, and I fell to the floor with a loud thump.

"Bella?"

_Oh no, no no no,_ please_, go back to sleep._

A bronze head of hair popped up on my side of the bed, and I saw sparkling green eyes look down at me.

"Are you alright, Bella?"

"I'm fine," I snapped in annoyance, getting up off the floor and dusting myself off. Edward sat up in bed bemusedly and looked around.

"Where did your little barrier go, honey? It seems to have… well, _well_. What do we have here?"

Edward lifted up one of the pillows that had fallen and held it up, smirking.

"I knew this wouldn't last. Even in your sleep, you can't resist me, Mrs. Cullen."

I felt my cheeks flame and my breathing increased. I had no witty retort to his comment, so I childishly blurted out,

"I call first dibs on the shower!"

And I ran into the bathroom, hyperventilating.

--

When I came back out, my hair dripping wet and nerves frayed, I found a pair of my jeans and a white pocket tee shirt- along with clean undergarments folded on the freshly made bed.

Edward was nowhere to be found. I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly got dressed; having a gut feeling that I was missing out on whatever was bound to be happening downstairs. A quick peek into Ellie's room revealed that she was not there, and a second, considerably sneakier peek exposed the fact that Demetri was not in his designated guest space either.

I half- ran down the stairs, only managing to trip once, before entering the kitchen. I bumped smack into Charlotte, who was wielding a towering basket of folded laundry and muttering under her breath.

"Oy! Good gracious, Mrs. Cullen, please, watch where you're stepping, love, alright?" Charlotte gasped, balancing the precarious collection on her hip.

"Sorry, Charlotte, I didn't see you there," I said sheepishly, trying to sidestep her.

She peered at me and my flushed face suspiciously.

"Did you have a good night's sleep, Mrs. Cullen?" she asked, sugary sweet, but with a hint of menacing to make sure I didn't lie to her.

"It was, uhm, wonderful, Charlotte, now if you'll excuse…"

"Isabella Cullen."

Charlotte had the scary mother "you're in trouble" voice down pat. I froze in my tracks, and looked down at the floor.

How had she known I had spent the night in Edward's room? She had only arrived here this morning, not last night.

_The clothes that had been laid out. _

Edward was too much of a gentleman to go through my drawers and bring me clothing when I was done with my shower- that sort of gesture was too intimate- for now, at least.

"I'm only going to say this once, Miss Isabella, so listen up and listen good. What you and Mr. Edward do behind closed doors is your business, and I have no desire to pry into _that_. But the moment your actions hurt that innocent little girl, you will have to deal with me. Heaven knows what Edward is thinking right now- you need to be the levelheaded one in your relationship with him, Bella. He sometimes loses focus, and I would hate to have his blunderings hurt his child.

"I trust you, Isabella. And I know you have only the best intentions for this family. So please, don't jeopardize this crazy thing Edward has cooked up by not being smart about it. No good can come of it. Do you understand what I'm saying, child?"

I nodded swiftly, horrified by what she was insinuating.

"Charlotte, Edward and I haven't- I mean, last night was innocent, I-"

"I know, honey," she said in a kind voice- even going so far as to pat my arm-, "Just please, protect yourself. One of these days, you're not going to _want_ to have innocent nights anymore, and that's when things will get messy. What are you going to do when this is over, Bella? He never stays in one place longer than he has to. He's restless, Bella. He gets tired of things quickly. What will happen when he gets tired of you? Edward will leave you, Bella. And if you're not careful, he'll leave you with a broken heart. Again."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Unexpected insight from Charlotte, huh? Do you think it was her place to tell Bella about Edward? Are her intentions purely good- or do you think she has some sort of agenda? **

**What are your predictions with Demetri staying over? Will he try to pull anything?**

**Thank you to the faithful few who do review and comment each and every time- sometimes more than once :)**

_**Let's make the T rated fics just as popular as the M rated ones!**_

**{The whole Demetri staying up and reading is a scene I borrowed from the film "Borrowed Hearts" starring Roma Downey and Eric McCormack- awesome movie, and partial inspiration for this story}**

**Oh- does anybody want an update of Fireproof? Let me know if you do. **

**Review please? **

**Thank you to the anonymous reviewer, Amy, for your insight. I appreciate it. **


	16. Line in the Sand

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. All characterizations, plot lines, backgrounds and details belong to the respective author. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorization.©2009 yourbrowneyedgirl (ybeg). All rights reserved worldwide.**

Chapter Sixteen

_Line in the Sand_

* * *

"Charlotte should bite her tongue," Edward growled, as he sat on the edge of the bed and unlaced his shoes.

"Edward, she was just trying to look out for me," I offered weakly, as I stood in front of the vanity and removed my jewelry. I let the heavy pieces fall into the mahogany box Edward had brought them to me in, glad to be rid of their weary weight. I was done playing Mrs. Cullen and Mommy for the rest of the night. I wanted to go back to being just plain Bella.

"She shouldn't have to _look out for you_," he sneered, throwing his tie on the floor and stomping into the bathroom. I heard him start to run the water in the bathtub and whirled around, suddenly furious.

He promised I could have the shower first.

I stalked across the room and banged on the door. "Edward _Cullen_, you said I could use the bathroom first. If you're taking a shower, so help me-" I began, but the rest of the words died on my lips when he flung the door open, shirtless, with a toothbrush sticking out of his mouth.

"Well, _excuse me_ for starting the water for you. Don't expect a repeat of that again, _honey_." He snarled, scowling at me. "Bathroom's all yours."

"Edward, wait!" I called, somewhat sheepishly. He stopped unbuttoning his trousers and looked at me curiously, eyebrow cocked, toothbrush still in his mouth.

"Could you please help me unzip my dress?" I asked softly, turning my back towards him. I could see his smirk in the reflection of the dressing room mirror as he came over to me and torturously dragged the delicate metal zipper along the shiny teeth tracks. He inhaled a breath, and I held mine, as centimeters upon centimeters of my pale skin were agonizingly revealed to the cool night air.

Edward paused when the zipper was all the way down, his hand resting heavily on my lower back. Our eyes locked in the mirror (ridiculous as he looked with mint toothpaste smeared along his chin) and I held his crushing gaze for as long as I could. We inhaled and exhaled as one, not speaking, just staring.

And then, his hand left my back, and I was left alone in the cool bedroom, my cheeks flaming and my skin on fire. The things he did to me left me breathless, exhilarated, and extremely annoyed. It bothered me that one man, the bane of my existence, had such complete control over me. It wasn't right, it wasn't natural.

There was still so much I didn't know about Edward. I knew he was hiding things from me. The late nights, secret phone calls, his nonexistent family… and Ellie's mother.

If we were married for real, I would suspect him of infidelity. He was so secretive, and I, whose face could be read by an open book, was suspicious of that.

What was he hiding from me? And when would I find out what it was?

--

After Charlotte and I 'talked' downstairs earlier in the morning, I ate breakfast with Ellie while Edward took Demetri out. He wanted the Schwartz CEO to stay as far away from us as possible, and was determined to distract him by taking him out for breakfast, showing him around Seattle, and doing business, too. I was grateful for his discretion as he kissed us both on the forehead and said they'd be back for dinner. Oh joy. At least Demetri wouldn't be underfoot all day. It was hard for me to bite my tongue when he asked leading questions, and I was sure Ellie was bound to slip and let the cat out of the bag. She was so cheerful and bubbly- always asking questions and having something to say. Edward had tried to tell her just how important Demetri's visit was, and he told her to be very quiet and respectful around the CEO.

I really didn't think Ellie understood the gravity of the situation. But she was only five years old! How could she understand? Edward asked me to keep a close eye on her while he was gone (the poor man was so paranoid) and I had agreed, seeing as I nothing better to do than entertain our child- excuse me, _his _child.

I was a little disgruntled when he informed me before he left that I should move all my things into his room while they were gone. I did not look forward to sharing a bed with Edward- I couldn't endure a repeat of the humiliation I had experienced when I woke up practically on top of him. As I began shuttling my clothes and various necessities from my room to his after breakfast, I couldn't help but wonder how long Demetri intended to stay. Edward hadn't said much about it- he hadn't really said much about anything, come to think of it- so I had no idea if Demetri was going to stay more than just two days.

I hoped he wouldn't linger. Maybe he would get the vibe that no one in this Cullen household wanted him here and he would just leave of his own accord.

Yeah right.

_Keep dreaming, Bella._

After I had set up camp in Edward's room (and moved a few things around) I helped Charlotte with the laundry and supervised Ellie as she completed some schoolwork. By noon the laundry was finished, Ellie was done with her homework, and I was bored to tears.

I took Ellie for a walk outside, hoping to burn off some pent up energy- both hers and mine. She happily skipped around me, only pausing as we walked along one of the trails to pick up a pretty rock or an early season flower. She wanted to collect a few feathers, too, but I wouldn't even let her touch one- who knew how long they had been on the ground, and birds carried a multitude of germs.

I had never sounded more like a mother when I told her no, and it shocked the hell out of me. I was also completely flabbergasted when I handled her resulting temper tantrum in stride. I was falling more into my pretend role as her mother and I realized that somewhere I needed to draw the line in the sand, or else the both of us would be shattered when it was time for me to go.

I wanted to love on this little girl as long as I could, but was I strong enough to say goodbye?

I wondered if I needed to limit my affections towards her, and be more of an authoritative figure than a friend. It was so confusing. I could tell Ellie delighted in having someone play the role of a mother to her- Kate was too young and Charlotte was too old.

Who was I to deny her that small pleasure? Besides, my role was only temporary. Soon enough, Edward would find someone, and Ellie would really have a true mother.

My heart gave a little jolt as I pictured Edward with someone else- probably a tall blonde goddess- the perfect woman for the perfect, most unattainable man.

I would never be good enough, nor would I try, much as the idea of being Edward's 'one and only' was very tempting. Ellie needed someone better than me too- I could never really be her mother. That just wasn't who I was. I remembered playing in Edward's back yard with a baby doll all those years ago, and how marriage and babies was the most wonderful thing in the world.

I still felt that the domestic side of life was very nice, but I wasn't sure that being a wife and mother was for me. I wanted to do things- travel Europe, finish a novel I had secretly been working on, climb the corporate ladder- so many things. And I was only twenty five! I still had time to do so much, and marriage and family would simply have to wait. I wasn't even sure I wanted to get married. This real-yet-fake relationship with Edward felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on me. I wasn't sure I could do the whole housewife thing for real. It scared me- marriage didn't work for my own parents, they divorced when I was two. I couldn't tie myself down to one person and risk them hurting my heart. I just couldn't. Especially not Edward.

Charlotte's friendly yet menacing words from this morning echoed in my ears and I shivered.

"_What will happen when he gets tired of you? Edward will leave you, Bella. And if you're not careful, he'll leave you with a broken heart. Again."_

No. I couldn't let Edward in. Not yet, not now, maybe not ever.

I remembered the small shock I felt when I looked at the fake family portraits of Edward, Ellie and I that lined the hallways. Pictures I didn't even know I had had been recreated to fit in snapshots of my husband and daughter. There were a few wedding photos, Photographs of me _pregnant_- how the CIA artists pulled that off, I'll never know, with Edward looking on adoringly. And the last photographs were pictures of all three of us, one for every Christmas and birthday Ellie experienced. They all looked so real that I was momentarily stung and my heart panged- this could have been my life, really.

Raising a child was one of the hardest things I had ever done. I hadn't even been living in the Cullen house for a week, and yet it felt like I had been through a war. Children needed _so much_ care and attention. Especially since Ellie really never went anywhere besides a few places around town, and Edward was never home. So I entertained Ellie to give Charlotte and Kate a reprieve. I began to gain a new respect for them as I gave Ellie her meals, bathed her, helped her with what little schoolwork she had, fixed her hair and made sure her clothing matched, answered her never ending but thought provoking questions… at the end of every day, I was exhausted.

Especially yesterday- my kisses with Edward and our fight, the surprise and added stress of Demetri's arrival, Ellie's birthday- and I was inclined to think she was catching a cold. I still had my work laptop with me, but since I was technically on vacation, I wasn't going to do work while I didn't have to. I wasn't that bored.

If there was one thing I learned while at Edward's house, it would be that Ellie's Cullen pout was lethal. No wonder the little girl got everything she wanted and more. She could turn on the charm like a faucet.

Her father could, too.

All through dinner that night- squeezing my knee, winking at me during the most inopportune moments- God help me when Charlotte finds out that it was I who spilled half my wineglass on the tablecloth.

The second dinner with Demetri was not quite a fiasco as the first dinner had turned out to be, but Ellie was present for this meal and Edward and I held our breath all through it, lest she let something slip.

Ellie was quite entranced with our new guest, asking him all sorts of questions and delighting in his gruff replies. She kept up a constant stream of chatter during the whole meal- telling Edward what she had done during the day- _"And I got you a pretty rock, Daddy! I was gonna get you a red feather too, but Mommy said not to touch it because birds are yucky and a feather would make me sick. Isn't Mommy smart, Daddy?"_ as well as what she had eaten for lunch, the movie she had watched after her nap, etc.

Edward began to get those little lines in his forehead which meant he was getting cranky. Demetri was oblivious to Edward's stress, and asked annoying, leading, trite questions that made _me_ cranky. Edward didn't even make it through dessert, when he complained of a migraine and scooped Ellie up to carry her to bed.

He kissed me apologetically as I stared dejectedly at my tiramisu, not liking being alone with Demetri.

"I'm sorry Bella," he had whispered when he bent down to brush his lips against mine, once again putting on a show for Demetri.

"Screw you," I had hissed into his mouth. He chuckled before lifting Ellie up for a goodnight kiss.

"I love you, Mommy," she had said sleepily as she briefly twined her arms around my neck.

"Love you too, sweet pea," I said softly, before placing her back in Edward's arms.

--

Demetri, thankfully, did not care for the Italian dessert, and quietly excused himself just after Edward and Ellie had gone up the stairs.

I was left sitting at the dining room table, my side of the tablecloth soaked in red wine, wondering what challenges tomorrow would bring.

--

I sneaked a glance at my husband as he methodically hung up his suit jacket and pants, and carefully disposed of his shirt and socks down the laundry chute. His side of the closet was impeccable, as well as his corner of the dressing room.

Edward was way too clean for my liking. And he was the man in this unconventional relationship.

My side of the bedroom showcased my outfits from the last three days- various articles of clothing draped over the lounge chaise and armoire. Many of the outrageous heels Edward had bought for me were strewn about the floor, and I knew for a fact my black skinny jeans lay under the bed. And my side of the closet? Already the dust bunnies were moving in.

I was a mess. And I was the woman in this unconventional relationship.

"Did you need something else, baby, or do you just like staring at my behind?" Edward had finished brushing his teeth and smirked at me, arms crossed over his chest.

I could tell from the way heat crept up my face that I was blushing again.

"No, Edward, I don't need anything and I _certainly_ wasn't staring at your butt. You're so full of it." I snapped. I went into the bathroom and slammed the door before I gave myself a chance to regret my actions and recant my words. I pressed my ear to the bathroom door, irrationally hoping to hear some ego- crushed induced sobbing, but I heard was quiet chuckling.

Damn him.

I felt a little guilty but not really when I saw the bathtub filling with hot water. He was only trying to be nice, after all- but his ego and my mouth really got in the way of us being amicable towards each other.

I slowly peeled off my clothes, and slipped into the steaming tub filled with bubbles.

That felt _so_ wonderful. My feet ached from being on them all day, and my restless sleep from the day before contributed to unusual aches and pains. Edward's mattress was soft and firm in all the right places, but the mental stress I was feeling overwhelmed my physical body.

These small everyday trifles were the good part of this whole Mrs. Edward Cullen business. I was not one for excessive luxury or expensive things, but I did enjoy good quality expenditures from time to time. A good soak in the bathtub was one of them.

At this moment, alone in the bath, I was free to be me. Edward wasn't harassing me, and Ellie wasn't begging me to fix her hair or get her more chocolate milk without her Daddy watching (Edward was very strict regarding her sugar intake). As much as I loved the little girl and- admittedly, her father, I was very glad to have moments to myself. I couldn't help but wonder if this was what real mothers and wives felt like. Who knew being a housewife could be so exhausting? And I had Charlotte and Kate to help me! I barely lifted a finger when it came to household chores, and I almost never made dinner- Charlotte wouldn't allow me in her kitchen after the birthday cake incident.

I hardly did anything except entertain Ellie, and strive to please Edward, and I couldn't even keep my side of the bedroom clean.

Then again, how many housewives had to deal with a criminal living under their roof and trying not to screw _that_ whole thing up?

Realizing that I was wasting my time thinking instead of relaxing, I grabbed one of Kate's gossip magazines that she had accidentally left in the library and began to read.

--

"C'mon, Bella, I have to pee. _Get out already_," Edward's muffled groan came through the door, and I smirked as I toweled off and threw on my pajamas. I drained the water out of the tub, and shook lingering droplets of water out of my hair. I looked at my fingers and toes in disdain- they were all pruny from my prolonged soak. I had not intended to fall asleep in the tub, but the water was so warm, and dinner had made me sleepy.

I took my time gathering up my discarded clothing and various bath soaps, childishly ignoring my suffering husband's protests to unlock the door. There were four other bathrooms in this house and he was making me mad all over again. I sauntered out of the bathroom, not daring to look at Edward as he raced past me.

Men.

I recreated the pillow barrier from last night, my face flaming as I remembered this morning. As much as the Puckish part of me was itching for a repeat, I was not at all eager to embarrass myself again, so I doubled the amount of pillows and secured them as best as I could.

Edward came out of the bathroom, stopping short when he what I was doing.

"Really, Mrs. Cullen, you shouldn't have," he said smirking as he got in on his side of the bed.

"Shut up, Edward," I replied coldly as I fixed the last pillow and climbed into bed, turning off the bedroom light.

I lay down stiffly, hyperaware of the man less than a foot away from me. I heard a slight rustling, and felt the weight of the pillows being softly removed. I turned to see what he was doing.

"Edward, what-"

I suddenly found myself voiceless as the cold pillow barriers were replaced by two warm, strong arms.

"Shh, Bella, don't fight this,"

His husky whisper seemed to echo throughout the bedroom.

As I lay my head on his chest, I realized that this was my line in the sand. Here in Edward's arms, in his house, his daughter and dangerous criminal peacefully sleeping in the next rooms, I realized that there was no other place I'd rather be, or could ever be again.

* * *

**Can anybody tell me what happened to the story "In the Land of Milk and Honey" by ****jesus. is. magic****?! I loved that story and now it's gone! Is it posted on a different site? I'd really like to read it if it posted somewhere else! Please, if you know what happened to this story, PM me or let me know in a review! Thank you!**

**May I just say that you guys are THE BEST readers and reviewers ****ever****? You all were so supportive during my hiatus and very understanding of my situation. Thank you SO MUCH to every single reader who has favorited, alerted, reviewed… everyone. I am so lucky to have such fantastic readers- all over the world! You guys rock for showing me so much love!!**

**If we get over 70 reviews this chapter (don't worry, you've done it before) I will put a huge hint in the next chapter as to who Ellie's mother is or is not. HUGE HINT. :)**


	17. Infurryating Creeper

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. All characterizations, plot lines, backgrounds and details belong to the respective author. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorization.©2009 yourbrowneyedgirl (ybeg). All rights reserved worldwide.**

Chapter Seventeen

_Infurryating Creeper_

* * *

"We've got to stop doing this,"

I said as I wrestled myself out of Edward's arms for the fourth morning in a row, "it's unethical, and God help us if Ellie comes in and finds us together."

"God help us if Demetri comes in and we're _not_ together. Shut up, Bella, we have four minutes until the alarm goes off."

"Like you need your beauty rest," I snorted as I lay back down beside him.

"How else do you think I manage to look good?" He asked, tugging the blankets back over to his side.

"Who told you you look good?" I asked sarcastically, fluffing my pillow.

"Oh, really funny, Mrs. Cullen. Ouch, you're mean. What you do to my ego…"

"Shut up, Edward, we only have three minutes until the alarm goes off."

--

"If you don't hurry up I'm going to come in there," he threatened from behind the bathroom door. "How long does a woman need to shower for?"

"As long as it takes, Edward. Go away," I shouted from behind the shower curtain.

We had had the same fight four mornings in a row. He said I took too long in the bathroom, and I said if he wanted to use the bathroom, he would have to wait for me or use a different one. Besides, I had locked the door.

Stubborn male.

I quickly finished my shower, annoyed at his antics as he pounded on the door.

"Alright Edward," I sang as I shut off the water, "I'm done!"

Surprisingly, there was no theatrical groan of relief or snarky comment in retaliation from outside the bathroom. I didn't think anything of it until I reached for my towel and stepped out.

"Edward!"

The vile snake had unlocked the door and slipped in. My darling husband was casually running the tap for his shave and lathering up his face with cream, his shirt and socks on the floor and his sleep pants low on his hips.

And all I was wearing was a towel.

Nice.

"Get out! What the hell!"

"My bathroom too, sweetie. That credit card trick- it really does work, you know. Unlocked the door like _that_."

He snapped his fingers for emphasis.

"Get out, Edward. You had no right-"

He totally ignored me and coolly started on the left side of his face.

"You infuriating man!" I shrieked.

"What's infurryating mean, Mommy?"

Edward nearly sliced his face open and I almost dropped the towel as we both rounded on our daughter.

Ellie stood there, in her pajamas, little stuffed bear under her arm, looking at us with wide and tearful eyes.

"Esme Elisabeth!"

"Ellie!"

Edward was the first to recover, seeing as he was not currently half naked. He tossed me his bathrobe and put down his razor before taking Ellie by the shoulder and steering her out of the bathroom. I quickly tied on the robe and joined them in the bathroom.

"Mommy!" Ellie jumped off of Edward's lap and hurtled into my arms. "Why were you yelling at Daddy? Do you not like him anymore? Are you going to go far away like my other Mommy? Please don't leave, Mommy! I'll make Daddy be good! I will!"

She tugged on the bathrobe, and I gently lifted her into my arms and sat next to Edward on the bed. He was visibly upset when he heard Ellie's plea, and I was more than ashamed of myself for picking a fight with Edward in front of her, whether I knew she was there or not.

"Ellie, first of all, I am not going anywhere. No way, no how. I'm not leaving, okay, honey? So calm down, okay? Deep breaths."

I smoothed her curls as she took exaggerated breaths in and out.

"Good girl. Now, I was yelling at your Daddy because I was angry with him. But I should not have yelled at him because that is a very rude and mean thing to do. Your Daddy and I are still friends, baby. We just sometimes have disagreements. Nobody is going away."

I avoided the whole "going far away like my other Mommy" thing. That king daddy statement I would save for Edward.

"Sweet pea, what did you need when you came in the bathroom?" Edward questioned softly from beside me.

"Oh," she said, her little forehead creasing in remembrance, "There was a knock on the door. I think it's the mailman, Daddy."

Edward and I looked at each other with wide eyes and leapt off the bed as if we'd been burned. We both made a move for the door, but…

He was wearing just a pair of pants and had half his face covered in shaving cream, and I was in his bathrobe and nothing else, my hair still dripping from my shower.

"I'll get it," he said hurriedly, his hand on the doorknob.

"Edward, you look…" I gestured sheepishly to his face and rumpled hair. He raised his eyebrows at me, taking in my own ridiculous appearance.

"Like I'm gonna let my wife run around half naked with a creeper staying in the house. Uh huh. I'll be back in a minute, Bella. Ellie, stay with Mommy."

My cheeks pinked as I drew the bathrobe closer around my frame and he disappeared downstairs.

"Mommy, what's a creeper?"

--

Edward came back into the bedroom minutes later, with an unopened letter in his hand, which he promptly threw into his side of the closet. His face was dark, and his posture rigidly tense, and I knew that whatever was in that letter or whoever had sent it was bad news.

"Edward, what's going on?" I asked, running my hand over his arm. He slightly relaxed at my touch, but the frown stayed on his face.

"Ellie, baby, why don't you go get dressed? Mommy will be down in a few minutes and she can help you with breakfast, okay?"

She skipped off with the little bear tucked into her arm, and Edward moved away from me to shut our bedroom door.

He turned back to me, his face full of seriousness (and shaving cream).

"Bella, there's something I have to tell you."

* * *

**Ooh! A letter! Any guesses? Really short, I know, but I'm already working on 18. It's finals week, but after that, I should be able to get you more chapters quickly. **

**  
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	18. Talk to Me

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. All characterizations, plot lines, backgrounds and details belong to the respective author. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorization.©2009 yourbrowneyedgirl (ybeg). All rights reserved worldwide.**

Chapter Eighteen

_Talk to Me_

* * *

My heart leapt with both joy and dread as he spoke. Finally, I was going to get some answers. But judging by Edward's demeanor, I wasn't going to like them.

He held up one finger as he stepped into the bathroom and finished tending to the last patch of unshaven skin before washing the lathered cream off his face. He carefully blotted on aftershave and pulled on a shirt before rejoining me in the bedroom, looking remarkably better.

He sat me down on the edge of the bed, then walked over to our dresser and rummaged around in the top drawer. He procured a thin white envelope, much like the one he had thrown in the closet, and silently handed it to me. I turned it over in my hands- it felt nearly weightless, and was securely sealed. I looked up at my husband questioningly as he sank down beside me, suddenly tense and weary.

As if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Edward, what…"

He drew me to his side, my head naturally resting on his shoulder, and gently stroked my arm with his fingers.

"Bella, if… if anything should happen to me, I want you to take Ellie and that envelope and run. I want you to go as far away as you possibly can. Everything you need will be in that envelope. Promise me, Bella, you'll do it."

I moved away from him and looked him in the eye, while trying to push the suddenly heavy envelope into his hands.

"No, Edward. Nothing's going to happen to you. Don't talk like that-"

He clasped my hands in his to hold me still.

"Bella, listen to me. I need you to promise me you'll take care of yourself and Ellie. There are people out there who want to hurt me, Bella, -very, _very_ bad people. Please, give me one comfort in knowing that the both of you will be safe. There is no one else I would trust with my daughter, Bella. No one. Not even her mother."

"Edward-"

"Promise me, Bella. Say it. Out loud."

"I promise, Edward."

"Thank you. Keep that envelope in a safe place, okay? Now, I need to finish getting ready."

Oh no. He wasn't getting off that easy. I grabbed the edge of his shirt as he got up off the bed.

"Edward? Who is her mother? Why won't you tell me?" I asked, feeling smaller than I had ever had before.

Edward stopped, his face going white, and his eyes suddenly fixated on my hand that was fisted in his shirt.

He exhaled a shaky breath before running a hand through his tousled hair.

"I'm sorry, did I say Ellie had a mother? The only mother she has is you, Bella, and I cannot thank you enough for that-"

I stood up, furious.

"Stop it, Edward, just stop it! Who is Ellie's biological mother, Edward? I want to know."

His green eyes were full of sadness.

"I can't tell you that Bella. Please, ask me anything else. Anything but that," He pleaded.

"Why not? Why can't you?" I asked, my voice considerably kinder in tone.

"Because, Bella, if I tell you, you'll leave me. And I can't lose the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. I can't lose you, Bella, my heart can't take any more."

"What makes you think I'll leave, Edward? Do you have no faith in me?" I was offended by his assumptions.

"Everybody leaves eventually, Bella. I'd like to keep you for as long as I can. I'm a very selfish man."

He spoke into his hands, shoulders shaking.

"I'm not going to leave, Edward. I couldn't. Even if I wanted to."

"You say that now," he mumbled.

"Yes, I do," I retorted hotly. "Fine, if you won't tell me, then I guess I'll just remain in the dark. It really is none of my business, Edward. I just wish you trusted _your wife_."

His head snapped up and I saw his eyes widen.

I realized my mistake instantly, my heart filling with remorse. I was the first time I had I said the words he had wanted to hear for the entire time we had been together.

"Edward, I…"

I choked. The light sprang into his eyes and my stomach swirled.

I had admitted that I was his.

Why can the words I can never say so easily slip out?

"Bella, forget it. I know, I know. It was just nice to hear you say it. It means nothing to me. You're Bella, and you belong to no one. Miss Independent."

We both knew he was lying.

"Right. Of course."

He shakily stood, and cupped my face in his hands.

"I do trust you, Bella. With my life, with everything that I am and ever will be. Bella, all I want to do is protect you. You don't deserve to bear my scars or wear my chains. You need to come out of this… _arrangement_ unscathed. I lie to my daughter and tell her that Santa Claus brings her her Christmas presents, not my paycheck.

Let me lie to you, Bella. Let me protect you."

"I'm not five years old Edward. You can't shatter me so easily. Just tell me," I half laughed, fisting my hands in his shirt, gripping the warm flannel in between my fingers.

He kissed my nose, his tender lips brushing across my skin like angels' wings.

"No, Bella. Let me lie to you."

--

"So, Mrs. Cullen," he asked easily as he settled into a wicker armchair, "how do you feel about your husband's work? It must be taxing to run a household by yourself seventy percent of the time."

"I manage," I stammered evasively as I struggled not to slosh the lemonade I was currently pouring out of the crystal pitcher I held shakily in my hands. I handed the sweaty glass to Demetri, who gulped it down with vigor.

I had noticed that the flowers Charlotte kept on the back porch were already blooming, so I headed out into the brisk air with a pair of scissors and gardening gloves to trim the dead leaves and stems from the flowering bushes so they could fully bloom into the sunshine. I did not have a green thumb in any way, but I was going stir crazy from being inside so much, and I knew Charlotte would appreciate my help in some area, since I was banned from helping her with almost everything.

The one thing that I was not expecting when I stepped outside was Demetri. It was Sunday- _bloody Sunday_- and since Edward had exhausted his options for a Seattle excursion, he had chosen to remain at home. The staff had the day off, Ellie was taking a nap, and Edward was working in his office.

Demetri sat in one of the plush armchairs that scattered the teak deck, facing the backyard, a content expression on his face. A rumpled polo and crisp khakis adorned his intimidating frame, a stark contrast from the dark Armani and Prada suits he normally wore. I guessed that even crooked businessman were capable of casualness. What surprised me, though, was that he actually looked… human. Normal. It was unnerving, especially since he seemed so harmless.

I pruned in silence, occasionally peeking over my shoulder to see if he was watching me.

Nine times out of ten, he was. I shuddered, and wished to high heaven Edward wasn't so bogged down with paperwork.

Eventually, I began to trim and pluck a little too heavily, and realized I had to stop before the shrubs were nonexistent.

I wiped away the few trickles of sweat I felt on my forehead and the back of my neck, and slowly stood up. Demetri watched me guardedly as I peeled off my gloves and set the pruning shears on a nearby bench.

"I was just going to go inside and grab a drink," I offered weakly, "would you like something, Sir?"

Demetri looked shocked but quickly composed himself. "I would appreciate some refreshment. Thank you, Mrs. Cullen."

And that was how I found myself sharing a snack with the Belgian CEO.

Once he had wolfed down a few cookies and downed some homemade lemonade to settle his stomach, Demetri was actually an excellent conversationalist.

I felt my guard lowering inch by inch as he shared with me freely about his life back home in Belgium. He wore the most tender smile on his face as he showed me pictures of his wife and children- who were all stunningly gorgeous. The love he felt for them shone quite evidently as he talked about his family.

It was hard to believe that this was the same man who had upset my family over dinner just the week before. As we talked and got to know each other, I began to realize that I had never really given Demetri a chance. I had just written him off as a creepy old man who was under suspicion of fraudulent dealings.

Now I began to wonder if his previously frosty and unnerving demeanor was the by- product of homesickness and missing his family. He told me that he traveled often, but would always make it home for special holidays and birthdays.

"I realize that my family is the most important thing I have, Ms. Isabella," he said as he reached for another cookie. "I cannot jeopardize my time with them. Did your husband tell you that I am retiring at the end of the year?"

He was stepping down? He must have known that Edward was onto him. If Demetri left before the Schwartz group was possibly convicted, he would not be responsible in any way for any occurrences that were to be revealed, because he would no longer work for the Schwartz firm.

"N-no, Edward did not tell me," I stuttered.

"Well, I am," he said, smiling a genuine smile again, "My oldest daughter is graduating from school next year, and my son has plans to marry around next May. I would like to spend time with them before they leave. Family comes first, Ms. Isabella, always."

"I agree," I said, maybe a little too heartily.

Demetri chuckled. "You have a very charming personality, Mrs. Cullen. You're very pleasant to be around. I can see why Edward married you."

I was startled by his perceptiveness.

"You can?"

"Bella?"

I nearly dropped my glass when I saw Edward standing in the little alcove that led inside. His arms were folded across his chest, and boy, did he look pissed.

"Excuse me," I said sweetly to Demetri, as I brushed the crumbs off my dress and walked towards Edward.

"What is it, Edward?" I asked, noting his disgruntled appearance.

"I need to talk to you in my office," he said lowly, his green eyes sparkling with anger.

"Edward, I'm in the middle of a conversation here. Can it wait?" I asked, nodding towards Demetri, who was pretending not to stare at us.

"Actually, it really can't. My office. Now." He said through gritted teeth.

His knickers were definitely in a twist over something, and I silently bet my last dollar that it was my friendly interaction with Demetri.

"Fine, Edward. This better not take too long. I have things to do." I flounced past him and quickly made my way to his office.

He shut the door behind us and after checking the baby monitor we had connected to Ellie's room, sat down heavily in the worn leather chair behind his desk.

"I hope you have a good reason for feeding the enemy, Bella. He ate the last of the cookies you made."

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously, Edward? Did you not see the other Tupperware in the pantry? Now, c'mon. What did you drag me up here for?"

He looked at me searchingly for a long moment before answering.

"What were you talking about with Demetri?"

"None of your business."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. The anger in his eyes had been replaced by something hotter, and definitely more devious. I felt myself grow weak in the knees just looking at his face.

Well, that was more of a regular occurrence, but the look in his eyes…

"Are you withholding information from a CIA investigation, Mrs. Cullen?"

"Maybe. What are you going to do about it, _Mister_ Cullen?"

"That's Agent Cullen to you."

I sucked in a breath, and sat down opposite him, the desk a welcome barrier between us.

"Seriously? Agent? Edward?"

He grinned crookedly.

"I got my badge yesterday." He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the little black ID case that housed his new badge and identification. He gently handed it to me, like it was his second baby or something like that.

He was the only person I knew who looked amazing on an ID photo. I avoided showing my driver's license picture to anyone at all costs. I ran my fingers over the glittering badge before handing back to my husband. I was really proud of Edward- I had never met anyone so dedicated.

An unbidden quotation came to mind- from Uncle Ben, no less…

_With great power, comes great responsibility._

"You'll be careful, Edward, won't you? I mean just because you're an agent and all that-"

He tipped my chin up to look at him. "Of course, Bella. But I can't do my job if you don't tell me what is going on between you and Demetri."

"Edward. We had cookies. And lemonade. He showed me pictures of his kids. He hates the rain over here. Nothing happened. We were actually getting along quite nicely before you showed up." I said teasingly.

"Bella, he's dangerous." Edward said darkly.

I scoffed. "I don't think so. That whole creepy façade he had going on? Edward, he's not going to harm us. He's just lonely."

"Are you calling me a liar, Bella?" He said it so softly I almost didn't catch what he said. My head snapped up to meet his eyes as soon as the words left his mouth.

"No, Edward, I'm not. Jeez, are you jealous or something? He's not as dangerous as we thought he was. I believe he's innocent."

Edward stood up so fast that his chair flew behind him and harshly banged against the wall. He came around to my side and knelt by my chair, taking my hands in his large ones.

"Bella, please. Listen to me. Men like Demetri- they're very good liars- manipulative too. Bella, you can't believe what he tells you. You _have to_ be on your guard at all times around him. I'm trusting you to take care of Ellie, and I need you to have your wits about you.

Do you understand what I'm saying, Bella?"

I sighed dramatically. "Yes, Edward. I understand."

He looked remarkably relieved as he released my hands. "Thank you, Bella."

--

When I went back out to the porch, Demetri had gone, and I carefully carried in the things I had brought out for our impromptu snack.

"Mommy? Where are you?" I heard a sleepy little voice call out.

"In the kitchen, baby," I called as I set the lemonade in the refrigerator.

Ellie slowly came in, rubbing her eyes and clutching her teddy to her chest. She lifted her arms to be held, and I gently picked her up. She buried her head into the crook of my neck, and I was a little surprised to feel that her skin felt hotter than normal.

"How was your nap, sweet pea?" I asked, rubbing her back soothingly.

"Okay. I'm thirsty, Mommy. Can I have juice?"

I went and poured her a glass of orange juice, knowing that if she was sick with a cold- which was what I suspected, it would help. She drank the glass down greedily, then once again rested her head on my shoulder. I remembered that Ellie had been incredibly cranky just before Edward had put her down for a nap, and I had heard her coughing the night before.

Edward came into the kitchen just then, and he brightened when he saw Ellie in my arms.

"Hey baby girl, you're awake," He said, coming over and attempting to lift her out of my grasp. Ellie held on tightly to me, however.

"No," she whined, "want Mommy."

Edward looked at me with surprise. She had never chosen me over him before.

He shrugged it off and chuckled, then tickled her ribs, but she did not squeal like she normally did when he did that. His face then pinched with concern, and he ran a hand over her glossy curls.

"You feeling okay, baby?" he asked softly.

She shook her head. "Feel yucky, Daddy. Tired."

"Edward, I think she might have a cold. She feels really warm, and remember her cough last night?"

He nodded, and opened one of the kitchen drawers. He procured a thermometer, and handed it to me. Luckily, he owned one of those swanky digital thermometers, and all I had to do was run it over her forehead before handing it back to him.

He glanced at the reading and swore under his breath. "A hundred and one degrees. Let's put her back in bed, Bella."

I carried Ellie back upstairs with Edward directly behind me. I gently laid her in her bed, and smoothed her hair out of her face.

"You don't have to sleep, baby, but I want you to rest, okay? Do you want a book to read?" I asked, gesturing towards the bookshelf. She shook her head.

"You stay with me, Mommy?" she asked hopefully, her voice scratchy.

I could have sworn I melted a little.

"Of course, honey. I'll stay right here."

I looked up at Edward to make sure that was okay with him, and he nodded, setting a water glass on her bedside table. He kissed Ellie's forehead, and gently tucked her blankets around her little body.

"I'll be right back some medicine, honey."

He turned and left the bedroom, but soon reappeared with a teaspoon and a bottle of purple liquid in his hands. He asked her to sit up, and she immediately crawled into my lap, her thumb in her mouth.

Edward carefully poured the correct dosage of the disgusting liquid into the spoon, then held it up to Ellie's lips. She obediently opened her mouth, and swallowed the whole spoonful, choking a little as it all went down.

I shuddered. I always hated taking liquid medicine when I was a child, but Ellie evidently had no qualms about it.

Edward chuckled as screwed the lid back on the bottle. "She thinks it tastes like candy," he explained.

"Oh, is that so?" I asked the little one lying in my arms. She had immediately put her thumb back in her mouth, so a quick nod of affirmation was all I received.

I gently helped her lay back down, but she pulled on my sweater until I was lying beside her. She turned on her side, and wiggled her little body as close as she could to me, resting her head on my chest. Her eyes closed, and I knew that within a few minutes, she would be out for the count.

Edward tucked the covers around the both of us, and kissed Ellie's forehead, then bent to place a tender kiss on my lips.

"I'm going to back to finish up work. You know you can leave as soon as she falls asleep- you don't have to stay." I nodded and reassured him that Ellie would be fine.

He gently closed the door as he exited the bedroom, and that was the last thing I remembered before my own eyelids slid shut and I joined Ellie in slumber.

--

When I woke up, it was dark outside. I gently peeled Ellie's sweaty form away from mine, knowing that her body was desperately trying to break the fever she had. Ellie remained asleep as I carefully climbed out of the bed and tucked the covers back in around her. I was in desperate need of a bathroom break and my stomach growled with hunger.

I passed the grandfather clock on my way downstairs, and was shocked to find that it was almost nine o'clock at night. I had spent the entire afternoon and evening asleep. I walked into the kitchen and found Edward sitting at the table, halfheartedly picking at yesterday's dinner leftovers. He looked up when he saw me come in.

"Is she okay? Did she get sick?" He asked, his green eyes wide with worry.

"Relax, she's fine," I mumbled, "She's still asleep. Ugh, do we have anything to eat in this house?"

"I could make you a grilled cheese," Edward offered, standing and putting his plate in the sink.

"Oh, really, Agent Cullen?"

"Yes, Mrs. Cullen. Have a seat." He gestured dramatically to the chair he had just vacated.

"One Agent Cullen grilled cheese coming up."

--

I had died and gone to heaven, because nothing could be better than an Agent Cullen grilled cheese at night. If Edward did nothing else, I was sure he could make a decent living making grilled cheese sandwiches. The bread was perfectly buttered and browned, the warm cheese melted to perfection.

"Mmmm…." Was all I could get out when I took the first bite.

"I take it you like it?"

"So, so good, Edward. _So_ good."

He laughed quietly to himself as he washed the frying pan.

"Thank you, Edward, that was the best grilled cheese I've ever had." I said seriously as I loaded my plate and glass into the dishwasher.

"You're welcome, Mrs. Cullen. But you know, that sandwich wasn't free." He said suggestively.

I turned around to face him, and planted my hands on my hips. "Oh really? Well, sir, what do I owe you?"

His gaze flickered to the ground before coming back up to meet my eyes.

"A kiss."

I felt my cheeks heat up. A kiss?

_I could do a quick peck. _

I carefully stood on my tiptoes, and pressed my lips to his for a second.

"There," I said, my face flushing.

"Bella, that was not sufficient payment. What was that? Don't you think that such a fine quality sandwich deserves an equally quality kiss?"

"I guess," I mumbled.

"Let me show you what I mean," he offered quietly.

I felt both of his arms snake around my waist and pull me gently towards him. He bent down to me, and gently pressed his lips to mine, softly and hard at the same time. He repeated the gesture twice more before sliding his tongue against my bottom lip, asking for entrance. I gently opened myself up to him, fisting my hands in his shirt and crazy hair. His hands traced intricate patterns on my lower back and ribs, keeping me impossibly close to his warm body. His mouth explored mine for a few moments before he pulled away, both of us gasping from the intensity of what had just transpired.

I made a move to remove myself from his arms, but he held me even tighter.

"Bella, I know… what just happened…I know it's scary, and I know… that you're gonna leave when this is all over, but I've been lying to myself the entire time I've been with you. I want… I want to try this with you, Bella. Can we try? I know there's so much going on, so many unanswered questions, and so much danger, but I want the chance to truly call you mine.

Can we just try this and see where it takes us? Please Bella, love."

* * *

**YEP. I ended it there, I know. Bella's going to say yes, right? **

**So, lots of stuff in this chapter. Now what do you think about Demetri? Who's right? Edward or Bella?**

**Poor lil' Ellie is sick, but I got in a kiss for you all! I'm going to pick up the pace here, and I think you guys are really going to like the next few chapters :)**

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**A small favor- could we get to 1,000 reviews before the year's end? Maybe?**

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**ybeg**

**Who wants an Agent Cullen grilled cheese??**


	19. There is No Gray Here

Chapter Nineteen

_There is No Gray Here_

* * *

For the third time today, I was jerked by my belt loops into a lavender scented linen closet.

"Rice and _cheese_, Edward! _Again_? This is ridiculous! I feel like a preteen in my Dad's house- and my dad was a cop, for goodness sake- _jeez_, you take up a lot of room, I feel like I'm going to suffocate-"

Warm lips pressed insistently against mine, so I shut up and leaned into the kiss, grateful for the distraction in a roundabout way. The hands that were securely fastened to my jeans traveled up and down my backside, pulling me into his chest. Edward had the good sense not to turn on the light, both so we wouldn't be blinded and also so no one would see the light under the door and decide to investigate.

I allowed my own hands to explore his chest and that gorgeous head of bronze hair, weaving in and out among the soft strands. He responded by holding me even more tightly.

These stolen moments in darkened corners made everything better.

All too soon though, there was a tiny rap on the door and a plaintive cry of, "Mommy? Daddy?" sounded just outside.

Edward groaned lightly and rested his forehead against mine. "How does she always manage to find us?"

I fixed Edward's hair and he smoothed my clothing before opening the door. Ellie stood there, with her teddy and blankie in hand.

"What were you doing in there?" she asked inquisitively, reaching up her arms so she could be held.

"Nothing, baby," Edward said as he scooped her up. "Why aren't you in bed? Do you feel better?" He tried to feel her forehead with his hand, but she had buried her face in the cool of his neck, quiet coughs escaping her scratched throat.

"Did you kiss in there?" She asked plainly, straightening up and searching his face. Edward's face turned red.

"Baby, what Mommy and I do when you're not around doesn't concern you. Now why were you out of bed?"

Ellie's rosy little face brightened. "You _did_ kiss! Mommy's lips are all red! Mommy, can you _pleeease_, please try to have a girl baby? I want a baby sister _so_ bad… I'll share _all _of my toys, even my teddy, and-"

"Whoa, sweetie, what are you talking about?" I asked. Kissing? Baby sisters? What in the world was put in her cough medicine?

"Yeah, honey? What's this about a baby sister?"

"Riley from down the street said that when his mommy and daddy kiss a lot, he gets a new baby brother or sister right after. And you and Mommy kiss a lot, so that means Mommy's going to have a baby, right?"

She looked at the both of us expectantly.

Edward seemed at a dire loss for words- he would open his mouth to say something, and then he would shut it with a snap.

I for one, could not get over the mental image. Having Edward's baby….

I shook my head to clear my thoughts, and then took Ellie out of Edward's arms. "I think you've scared Daddy pretty badly, sweetie. Let's put you back in bed and we'll get this mess straightened out, okay?"

"Can I have juice first?"

--

I gave Ellie her sippy cup, and she began to trek upstairs, while I hung back a moment to talk with Edward about the potentially delicate situation that had cropped up.

"She's _your_ kid, Edward. _You_ have to be the one to tell her about the birds and the bees, not me."

"She just turned five, Bella. She does not need to know anything about birds or bees. All she needs to know is that me kissing you will not end up in a baby sister. Unless, of course, you'd like to make a certain little girl's dream a reality?" He asked suggestively.

"Are you asking me to have your baby, Edward?" I answered his question with a teasing query of my own.

"Someday," he shrugged offhandedly, "I do want Ellie to have at least one sibling. And for the record, she's _our_ kid- as long as we both shall live, if I remember correctly."

--

"So you're not gonna have a baby?" she asked for the third time, her hazel eyes swimming with tears.

Edward groaned. "No sweet pea, Mommy's not. We talked about this, remember? Babies don't come because of kissing. Where do babies come from, Ellie?"

"Heaven," she mumbled, playing with a lock of my hair as she sat in my lap.

Edward looked relieved. "Good. Now please, try to get some rest. We want you to be healthy so you can go to the ice skating rink tomorrow, right?"

Ellie considerably brightened at this prospect. "Yes! I love skating! Mommy, you have to skate with me! We can do all sortsa stuff, and-"

"And somebody needs to go to bed, chickadee," Edward said firmly, picking her up and tucking her under the covers.

"I'm not sleepy, Daddy." She yawned, her little hand automatically searching for teddy, and her thumb going in her mouth.

"Of course you're not." Edward chuckled.

--

"Do you need a band-aid, Mommy? Here, I have a whole bunch," Ellie pulled a handful of crumpled bandages from her coat pocket and I watched in dismay as Johnson & Johnson's finest went skittering across the ice.

"Baby, where did you get all those?"

"From your bathroom. Daddy said you were clum-zee, so I got some for you if you got hurt. Where does it hurt, Mommy?" She unpeeled one of the band-aids and looked me over.

"I don't think a band-aid will cut it this time, sweetie. I'm not bleeding; just sore."

I was currently flat on my back at the Highland Ice rink. Somehow, between Ellie's puppy dog eyes and Edward's pleadings- both of which I was utterly unable to resist- I found myself lacing up my white ice stakes and clutching Edward's hand tightly as we maneuvered onto the ice.

Ice skating rinks are generally avoided by clumsy, unlucky people such as myself. Case in point- I had fallen down four times in the past three minutes. If Edward was peeved by this, he didn't show it. He helped me up without a word (though a smirk or a chuckle was always to be found) like the gentleman he was, brushed the ice off my back, and urged me to try again.

Even though I was bound to be sore and bruised in the morning, I had never had so much fun with Edward and Ellie. The only thing that marred our happy outing was Demetri's presence.

I had, much to my husband's displeasure, invited Demetri to come skating with us and I was now reaping the repercussions of my actions. I was beginning to grow fond of the older gentleman, and could not find fault with him anywhere, despite Edward's suspicions. He seemed so genuine and kind, and doted on Ellie like a grandfather would. Every night, he would tell us- Ellie and I, that is- Edward always found an excuse not to join us, stories about his home and what it had been like growing up in Europe while World War II was being fought.

Ellie was enraptured by him, and whenever he was home, she would follow him around, begging him to tell her more stories. Edward had gotten furious when he discovered she was doing this, and had forbidden her to bother the Belgian CEO further. She, in turn, threw one of the biggest temper tantrums I had ever seen, and sulked for two days, going so far as refusing to give her Daddy kisses at bedtime. I was so torn when they were at odds with each other, especially since I saw no harm in her spending time with Demetri- he welcomed her attention; I was inclined to think that having her around made him reminiscent of his family in Belgium.

Finally, Edward broke down and allowed Ellie to resume her story-begging, but he expressly forbid her to be alone with him. I rolled my eyes at him, and agreed to not let her out of mine or Kate's sight- Charlotte had long ago given up "Ellie-duty".

Edward had never gotten so many kisses at bedtime that night.

But he still kept up a great guard around Demetri, and today was no different. He was downright rude this afternoon, and it bothered me that he had so little trust in the foreign man. Of course, that was how he was raised and trained to do his job, but he didn't have to be so… mean. I scanned the rink for his assistance until I remembered that he had skated off a few moments previously to purchase hot chocolate for Ellie and I.

"Mrs. Cullen! Have you been hurt?" Demetri smoothly skated over to me, and held out his hand, his face drawn in concern.

I smiled up at him ruefully. "I'm just clumsy. Nothing that a hot bath won't fix this evening."

He visibly relaxed, and helped me get back up. "I am glad to hear it. I was so worried when I saw you had fallen. Little one," he asked, his attention turning to Ellie, "why do you have so many bandages?"

"Mommy's clum-zee," she stated matter-of-factly, as she stuffed the assortment back into her little pockets.

"What a good daughter you are," he said kindly, giving her a little pat on the head. "Would you like a spin on the ice?"

"What's that?" she peeked up at him through her eyelashes.

He held a hand to her. "Let me show you."

She put her tiny mittened hand in his, and he slowly began to twirl her in slow circles on the ice. She giggled with delight as she spun around, and I wished I could have taken a picture of the happy look on her face.

"Mommy! Look at me! Look what I'm doin'!" she called excitedly.

"I see you, sweet pea, good job."

I watched them for a few moments, wishing Edward could see this.

"Get your hands off of my daughter," a low, familiar voice growled, and I felt my heart sink.

Edward stood just behind me, his eyes filled with anger, and his hands balled into fists. I saw he had set our drinks on a nearby bench and had probably planned on fetching us when he saw Demetri with his daughter.

Demetri stopped abruptly, and Ellie tumbled to the floor, the momentum she had gained twirling getting the best of her. She began to cry when she heard Edward's tone of voice, and the way he was looking at Demetri.

I ignored Edward, so angry with him for ruining a moment, and quickly unlaced my skates, then went to pick up Ellie off of the freezing cold floor. She put her cold little face into the crook of my neck, making me shiver, yet I could feel the hot tears running down her face.

"It's okay, baby, you didn't do anything wrong," I soothed, as I stalked past Edward in my socks and sat on the bench, reaching for the smaller of the two steaming mugs that were left there. "Do you want a cup of hot chocolate Daddy got you?"

"NO! I _hate_ Daddy!"

"Ellie," I breathed in shock, looking down at the angry little girl in my lap, "that was a very rude thing to say. You should never say that about anyone, even if you are angry with them. What do you say?"

"I sorry. I wanna go home, Mommy. My toes are cold." Ellie grumped, reaching for the cup I held.

I didn't hear the exchange of words between Edward and Demetri, but judging from the looks on their faces, their 'discussion' was not good. Edward was incensed and Demetri had at first been insulted, but now insult had been added to injury. Harsh words were exchanged between the two- lowly, but their mannerisms had caused enough discomfort to the other guests on the ice to warrant an employee's request to take their argument off of the premises.

Edward wordlessly handed me my boots as he backed away from Demetri, his chest heaving with anger, and knelt, unlacing Ellie's skates before picking up both pairs of skates we had shed and returned them to the rental counter. The look on his face was murderous and I was dying to give him a piece of my mind, but further causing a scene in a busy place like the rink was inappropriate.

Ellie and I put on our boots and followed Edward out of the building. I could sense Demetri's presence behind me, and I sorrowfully watched him get in his rented car- complete with a driver.

Everything was going so well and Edward just had to screw it up, again.

--

"My gosh, Edward, what the hell is your problem? Is it that hard to be civil? Really? You're Mr. CIA special agent man who's not supposed to screw up and blow our cover and what do you do? You push and push and we're all going to end up dead, or kidnapped or something because you've messed it all up. Whose side are you on, Edward?"

Edward and I had been locked in our bedroom arguing ever since the disaster at the rink. Demetri had the good sense not to return home, and was most likely waiting out Edward's wrath at one of the downtown coffee shops. Ellie, for her part, was very unhappily in bed, supposed to be taking a nap. I highly doubted she was sleeping- more than likely, she was amusing herself with a new box of crayons and a coloring book. I didn't mind as long as she stayed relatively calm for the rest of the afternoon- and oblivious to the situation at hand.

"Lay off, Bella. He had his hands all over my daughter. And you, if I'm not mistaken. What if you're wrong, Bella? What if Demetri really is our bad guy? He's got his hooks into you and Ellie is like an obedient little puppy dog, totally in his control. You're too damn trusting, and that's what's going to get us killed, kidnapped, whatever."

I opened my mouth to speak, thought better of it, and shut it again, fuming. But then I was struck with a brilliant, if not volatile idea.

"I'm sleeping in the blue room tonight. By myself."

--

It was ten o'clock at night and I was reading a book in bed, trying not to think of a certain man in a certain room in a certain bed.

Just to clarify, the man was _certainly_ not Demetri.

I heard the sound of bare feet running up the stairs before my door burst open.

"Bella, there's this totally cute guy on the phone for you," Kate giggled as she raced into the blue room and plopped down beside me on the bed. She held out the phone to me, practically vibrating from excitement.

Again with the Alice impressions.

"How can you possibly tell if a guy is cute by the sound of his voice?" I asked, taking the phone from her and covering the mouthpiece with my hand.

"I just can," she said with an impatient roll of her eyes, "Look, I know Edward is a dreamy mess, but I wanna know what this guy wants- talk to him!"

I glared at her and removed my hand. "Bella Cullen speaking."

Dead silence on the other line. I frowned at Kate and she shrugged. _'Shy,_' she mouthed, and I playfully shoved her.

"Hello?"

"Bells?"

The totally "not hot" voice of my 'long lost' older brother met my ears and almost made me fall off the bed.

"Oh my gosh! Emmie! I can't believe you called! Why has it taken you so long to get in touch with me, big brother? I miss you-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, _slow down_ a second sister. Bella _Cullen_? Isabella Marie, what the hell have you been up to?"

Oh damn.

Big brother was back and I was in so much trouble.

* * *

**Hmm. Emmett's calling. I wonder what he wants?**

**Are Bella and Edward ever going to stop fighting? What gives?**

**Focus for a second on Demetri's motives. Is he really a bad guy after all? Is Edward just being a paranoid jerk?**

**Highland Ice Rink really does exist in Seattle. Yay me for doing research!**

**I started a blog… if you want to follow. It's the easiest place to post teasers and if you'd like to get to know me a little better. If anybody knows how to make it pretty (HTML and stuff), let me know. **

**http://nicoleybeg(DOT)blogspot(DOT)com**

**If you would like to speed up my posting, review. Don't feeling like reviewing? That's cool too. I just hope you like waiting. I'm really getting discouraged, though, about the lack thereof. It means a lot to me when you take the time to review. **

**What misconceptions did you have as a child? Babies, Santa Claus, anything…**


	20. The Phone Call

Chapter Twenty

_The Phone Call_

* * *

"Em, please, it's not what you think," I begged quietly into the phone, not wanting Kate to overhear my conversation. She took the hint and quietly slipped off the bed, exiting the bedroom and closing the door behind her.

"Bells, you… you're with _him_… you have his name. What am I supposed to think? My gosh, Bella. I didn't think my little sister would be so weak. What are you doing with Cullen? Did he kidnap you? Do you want me to come get you? Bella, answer me!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine, Emmett. There's nothing for you to worry about. Why are you so concerned? If anything, I should be the one all over you. You've been out of touch for so long, Em. You haven't answered my calls or emails, nothing. As a matter of fact, why are you calling me?"

Subject change, please. I was not a good liar, especially around Emmett.

"Bells," he said quietly, "I found Rose again."

"Oh. You did? And?" I really hoped, for his sake, that their reunion was amicable. I couldn't handle another Emmett breakdown. The man had camped out on my living room sofa with a pint of Rocky Road and a case of beer. He didn't leave for over a week. Nothing is more pathetic than seeing your full grown, big bear of a brother sobbing over a Lifetime movie.

I personally wanted to claw Rosalie's eyeballs out for all the pain she had caused my brother. It had killed me to watch him in so much pain. He had poured out his heart to her, and she had stomped all over it.

"Bella, she's… we're… I think we're going to give us another shot." He said quietly, but I could sense the happy tremors threatening to burst from his voice.

This surprised me. Emmett wasn't usually so… forgiving. He tended to hold grudges, much like the one he held against Edward for the way he treated me all those years ago.

"That's great, Em… I'm really happy for you." I said softly, not really knowing what to say. I really was happy for him, but scared if his relationship with Rose didn't work out a second time.

Broken hearts hurt a lot.

"Did she tell you why she broke it off between you guys so long ago?"

I could practically hear him wince over the phone.

"You're not gonna like the answer, Bells."

I huffed impatiently. "Just tell me, Emmett."

I heard him nervously chuckle over the phone. "What can I say, Bella? We were just kids back then. I've never fallen for someone so quickly before. But one look at Rose, and I just knew…Falling in love is scary, Bells. I put my whole self out on a limb for her."

"And look where it got you, Em. She broke your heart." I said sadly.

"But, Bells! It's not like that! Sure, we went through a rough patch, and yeah, you had to see me cry, but I've got a second chance with Rose, and we're not gonna screw it up this time. Rose told me how she'd dated some rough guys in the past, and how badly they'd treated her, and so she was scared of it happening again. And when she realized that she might love me like I loved her, or claimed to love her, she took off.

I wasn't thinking with my head, Bell. I think I kind of scared her off. I was just so happy to have finally found the One, you know?"

"Mhm," I mumbled, thinking of the very unhappy man lying in bed down the hall.

"We talked over coffee, and we're going to get together for dinner. You were right about that little bakery- _Boulangerie_? They do have the best chocolate croissants. You'll never guess where I am, Bell." My brother's voice suddenly turned teasing, and the blood in my veins turned to ice.

Please no.

"-I'm in front of your house, Belly! Haha! Can you come to the door? I've got a ton of stuff for you…"

I was so dead. It was dark out, but when Em got a closer look at my house, he would realize I hadn't been there the past two weeks…

"Bella? You're not home, are you? There's all these newspapers on your front porch… Isabella Swan! Answer me!"

"I'm here, Em." I said weakly. "I'm not at home right now. I'm really sorry. I thought you were still in South Africa. You know, for the Peace Corps…"

"Bella, I just finished my tour two days ago. I'm back in Seattle, hoping to crash with my baby sis for a few days and she's not home! Do you at least have a key under your mat or something?"

"There's a spare under the flower pot on the back porch."

I heard him sigh in relief, and he was silent for a minute, probably crushing my flower beds in his haste to get into my house and out of the freezing cold.

"I'm in, Bells! Thanks! So, where are you? Finally off getting a tan in Cancun or something?"

I bit my lip. I couldn't tell Em the truth. If he knew…

"Uh, yeah, something like that. I'm taking a vacation."

"Good for you, Bell. Jeez, you have like, no food in this house, and everything in your refrigerator's gone bad. How long have you been gone? There's dust everywhere."

"Thanks, Em." I said dryly. "I've been gone for a few weeks, and no, I don't know when I'll be back, so don't ask."

"'Scuse me, sister, it was just a question. Well, don't bake too long on the beach! I wanna see my sis before I get called out again! Oh- whoops, hold on, Rose is beeping in, gotta go! Love you, Bell!"

He ended the call before I got a chance to say goodbye.

* * *

**So, Emmett's in town. How long do you think Bella's going to be able to keep her secret from him? And he never got around to asking about the whole Cullen thing… hmm.**

**I laughed so much when the reviews came in for the teaser. You guys all jumped the gun on the Rosalie Baby Mama thing. Did you really think I'd be that predictable?**

**Chapter 21 coming very soon. This was just a fill-in.**

**Leave me some love, k?**

**And I know I sound like a broken record, but please check out Against My Will!**

**xoxo,**

**ybeg **


	21. Secrecy: Table for One

Chapter Twenty One

_Secrecy: Table for One_

* * *

Warm hands encircled my waist and familiar lips peppered my face with kisses as I awoke the next morning after talking with Emmett. I knew I had gone to sleep feeling very alone and lonely, with no comforting arms around me or sweet breath on my neck, yet now in the early morning light, I saw that there were two more bodies in my bed than there should have been. Apparently I hadn't been the only lonely one last night.

"Edward, stop," I groaned out, feeling a little body snuggled into mine. I looked down and saw Ellie had burrowed her head into my chest, her hand gripping my shirt, and thumb in her mouth. Edward was on her other side, and his arm was casually thrown over the both of us.

The intimacy was frightening.

Edward pulled back from pressing a kiss to my lips and ran his thumb over my cheek. His eyes were troubled, and he had that adorable frown line between his brows. "Bella, I was so out of line yesterday. Forgive me?"

In the course of our swift, short, and startling relationship, he had never been so forthcoming with an apology. I nodded with a smile and bent to place a kiss on top of our daughter's head. She was still sleeping peacefully and I rested my head on her unruly, sweet smelling curls. I was once again taken aback with how much she looked like Edward- from her bronze curls to the dimples in her cheeks, she was all his. I couldn't place any features that didn't come from him, save her hazel eyes, which were tightly screwed shut in sleep. Hazel was somewhat of a rarity- none of the other Cullens had hazel eyes. Edward's own were a bright, startling green that changed constantly with his mood. Perhaps if his trademark green and a muddy brown were mixed…

I really needed to stop thinking about it. When the time was right, I was confident Edward would tell me. I just needed to be patient, and focus on the task at hand, because Demetri was growing ever suspicious.

We lay there in silence for a little while, limbs entwined in the tangled sheets, watching the sun come up. I felt better that Edward had apologized, and I resolved to do better with trying to understand him. I was so sick of fighting with him. It seemed that for every step forward we took, we were taken two steps back. It wasn't healthy for us to play this game.

"Bella?" His sleepy voice slowly brought me out of my daydreams.

"Mm?"

"Are you happy, here with me?"

I looked up at him incredulously. "What is that supposed to mean?"

His face was pained. "Never mind."

I reached over Ellie to brush the hair out of his eyes. "Tell me."

"I just wonder sometimes if you regret this. You're asked to do so much, and you get so little in return. I haven't done my best to rebuild our relationship, and I hate having so many arguments with you. I want us to be able to live peaceably together, at least until this is over."

I tenderly pressed my lips to his, trying to convey what words could not. His phone, which was resting on the bedside table, began to ring and we both groaned.

"Ignore it," I said breathlessly, twining my fingers in his hair.

"Baby, I can't," he gasped as he pulled away from me and fumbled blindly for the phone, "It could be important."

I lay back down and covered Ellie's ear with my hand, not wanting her to wake up before she needed to. Cranky Ellie was not fun to be around.

Edward sat up in bed and answered the phone. I amused myself in playing with Ellie's hair- she needed a haircut. And Edward and I really needed to get her to stop sucking her thumb.

I was momentarily startled when Edward scrambled out of bed, muttering profanities into the phone. He looked agitated as he snapped on his watch and pulled a shirt over his head. He called for Garrett on the intercom by the door, and dashed out of the room. Obviously something was up.

He came back into the room only seconds later, fully dressed with his hair perfectly tousled. I sat up to give him a kiss, and he brushed his lips against mine before placing a kiss on Ellie's forehead.

"What's going on?" I asked him as he sat on the edge of the bed to lace his shoes.

"I'm not sure, babe, but keep your cell phone handy, okay? Ellie has a play date with Riley at ten- Charlotte won't be here until one, can you walk her down there? The house is five down, on the right…"

"Sure, Edward, are you okay? Seriously, what's going on?"

"I can't tell you, baby, I'm sorry. Just please do as I ask, and don't answer the door for anybody. Let Garrett handle it."

He kissed me again and then strode quickly out of the room, already halfway down the stairs before I was out of bed. I looked over at the clock- it was just after eight. I needed to get both Ellie and myself fed and dressed before her play date. I hadn't met the little boy who had wreaked havoc in our house just a few days prior with the whole baby slash kissing thing, and I was kind of eager to get a glimpse of him. Ellie was very enamored with Riley- I think he was a year or so older than her, so his word was law in her eyes.

I quickly got into the shower, wanting to get my day started before Ellie woke up. I tried not to think about Edward's mysterious phone call and his abrupt leaving, but I was consoled by the thought that he was doing his job and was not doing anything reckless.

Or at least I hoped.

When I got out of the shower and got dressed, I went back into the blue bedroom to wake Ellie up. However, she wasn't in the bed where I had left her only fifteen minutes before. I moved the pillows and blankets aside, thinking she might have simply shifted her position in my absence. My thoughts were still swirling from the mornings' events, and my "mommy sense" went into overdrive. Images of my baby being kidnapped or harmed raced through my mind and I frantically searched the upstairs for her. She wasn't in her bed or the one Edward and I had been sharing, and I couldn't find her teddy either.

"Ellie! Sweet pea, where are you?" I ran down the stairs, my heart pounding.

I thought for a minute that perhaps I was irrationally freaking out. But then I entered the kitchen and my heart stopped.

Ellie's teddy was lying on the hardwood floor amidst a shattered glass bowl full of what had been Cheerios and milk. She must have been making her own breakfast…

I had to call Edward and tell him to come home. Our baby had been kidnapped. I snatched up the bear, and fled the kitchen, unwilling to see the silent testimony of the cereal mess on the floor. I ran into the study, where I had left my phone and I dialed Edward's number, willing him to pick up. It rang for what seemed like ages before he finally answered.

"Bella, this had better be important," my husband sounded agitated and out of breath.

"Edward! I can't find Ellie! I got out of the shower and she wasn't in bed anymore…"

"What?! Bella, did you say you can't _find_ Ellie? Is this a joke, because I really do not have the time to…"

"_Edward_! I'm serious! Yes! I don't know what happened? Should I call the police?"

"Bella, honey, I need you to calm down. I can barely understand what you're saying. First of all, don't call anyone and don't leave the house, I'll be home in a minute."

I heard his car door slam shut in the background and the engine start. "Edward, I'm sorry! I swear, I only left her alone for like ten minutes," I was crying now, clutching Ellie's bear to my chest.

"Shh, baby, it's okay, we'll find her," he soothed over the phone, his voice barely audible over the roar of the engine. "Did you check under the bed? The backyard?"

The backyard! I hadn't bothered to look outside.

I eagerly ran to the French doors and flung them open, expecting to see my little girl calmly playing in the sandbox or swinging on her tire swing.

She wasn't.

"Edward, she's not out there. I don't know where she could have gone!" I wailed into my cell, extremely disappointed for not keeping a better eye on my baby.

"Bella, did you ask Demetri if he'd seen her?" Edward asked calmly.

I gulped down my tears- I hadn't even thought of our guest. "I guess he's still in his room. I'll go ask him."

I treaded quickly back up the stairs with a heavy heart, hoping against all hope Ellie had roused him from slumber and asked to be told a story or something. I reached the landing, struggling to catch my breath- I was a little out of shape when it came to sprinting up stairs.

"…how do you spell 'I'm sorry Mommy'?" a little voice drifted down the hall.

_Ellie._

I was instantly flooded with relief when I rounded the bed and saw my daughter perched on Demetri's bed, a piece of paper and a crayon in her chubby little hands. The man in question (who was still clad in his old-fashioned pajamas) was gently helping her trace letters onto the paper, a serene smile on his face. He looked up at me and his face clouded with concern, noticing my distraught expression.

"Mrs. Cullen, are you alright?" He asked, letting Ellie's hand slip from his as he straightened up.

"Ellie!" I breathed, reaching my hands out toward her, shoving my phone in my back pocket.

Instead of jumping into my arms like she normally did, her gaze fell to the floor and she shrunk away from me, a small frown appearing on her angelic countenance.

She dropped the crayon and scooted off the bed as fast she could, slipping right past me. I was incredibly floored by this action and even more confused when I heard her sobbing a moment later. I turned to Demetri with questioning eyes.

He held the paper she had been scribbling on out to me with a chuckle and I resisted the urge to glare at him. I could make out a few words on the paper, like "Mommy", "Ellie", and "break", but that just confused me further.

"Apparently, little Miss Cullen broke a ceramic this morning and was afraid to tell you about it. She asked me to help compose an apology."

_The broken bowl of cereal on the floor… _

It all made sense to me now. Edward and I had given her explicit instructions to only use the plastic bowls, because the glass ones shattered easily, and we didn't want her to get hurt by the shards. She had obviously broken the rule, and now was reaping the repercussions of her actions.

I smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you, sir. I'll go talk to her."

I heard him chuckling as I left the room and made my way to Ellie's bedroom. There was a small, shuddering, sobbing lump under her duvet, and now that I no longer was fraught with worry, I found myself stifling a laugh.

I gently lifted Ellie's bedcovers, ignoring the little hands that tried to swat me away. Two red-rimmed hazel eyes looked sorrowfully up at me and the face they belonged to was flushed with tears.

"Ellie, why are you crying?" I asked softly, brushing the hair out of her eyes.

"I breaked your bowl, Mommy, and Daddy said if I breaked somethin' I was in biiiiiig trouble," she wailed, then ducked back under the covers, sobbing once again.

I carefully pulled back the duvet and gathered the distraught little girl into my arms.

"Ellie, sweet pea, look at Mommy," I lifted her chin so she would look me in the eyes. "Do you know why Mommy and Daddy said you couldn't use the glass bowls?"

"B-because they's 'spensive?" she asked timidly, playing with a lock of my hair.

I chuckled. "No, baby. Daddy could easily replace those old bowls. We don't want you to use them because you could hurt yourself on the glass, and having stitches is no fun, right?"

"Right, Mommy! So you're not mad?"

"No, sweetie, I'm not. I saw your note- thank you for saying you were sorry. That's a big girl thing to do, you know."

Ellie blushed and buried her face in my neck.

"_Bella? Ellie! Where are they?!" _

Edward's voice reverberated throughout the house and my heart sank like a stone in a pond. Ellie jumped in my arms when she was startled by his voice, and she looked up at me worriedly.

I hadn't even heard my husband come in, and I hurriedly set Ellie down on the bed and raced out into the hallway. Edward and Demetri stood inches apart, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, apparently engaged in argument. Edward looked like he was going to tear the older gentleman apart, his eyes flashing and chest heaving in anger. Demetri, for his part, looked just as outraged, but he had had the time to change out of his pajamas, and the grey suit he had donned made him look that much more intimidating.

Edward often reminded me of a hulking, powerful lion, and if he was that, then Demetri was certainly a vicious, distinguished bulldog. They were more beast than man as they stared into each other's eyes, willing the other to back down first. The walls in this house were a little too soundproof, and I wondered how long Edward had been home.

Demetri's voice startled me, and I shrank against the wall, unwilling to intervene unless their argument turned physical. I was too worried about Edward's temper and what he was capable of doing to those who hurt his loved ones.

"! I have had enough! I am sick of you accusing me of various things I have had no business in! I do not know why you are so prejudiced towards me, but this is the final, last straw! Kidnapping your daughter? Are you mad, man?"

"Kidnapping is not the only thing you're guilty of, sir! Your inventory reports were faxed in this morning! You face up to a life sentence in prison if the funds are not handed over immediately!"Edward bellowed, his voice shaking the staircase chandelier.

Oh no, Edward.

Both Edward and Demetri's faces went deathly white.

"What did you say, Mr. Cullen?" Demetri breathed, his hand over his heart.

Edward was speechless. He had just blown our cover.

"Excuse me, Mr. Schwartz. It was a careless thought voiced. Think nothing of it."

Demetri was incensed at Edward's accusation. "No, sir, I demand an explanation! How do you know about my funds and how I run my business? You are nothing but a…."

And then I saw the reality dawn on his face.

"You're from the American government, aren't you, young man?"

* * *

**Uh oh. The cat is out of the bag now!**

**Why was Edward agitated and out of breath when he answered the phone? Hmm.**

**Thank you to everyone who has left me the sweetest comments. If you'd like me to respond to a review, please indicate that. I can't answer every one b/c of time constraints, but I'd like to interact with my readers and answer their questions if I can! Just remember to enable Private Messaging :)**

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**ybeg**

**Thank you for being so patient! You guys are the greatest!!**


	22. A Symphony in A and B

Chapter Twenty- Two

**Part A**

_Is Your Name Gillette? Because You're the Best-A-Man-Can-Get_

Hey.

My name is Emmett Swan.

Contrary to popular belief, I am not stupid.

I'm twenty-nine years old going on three, or so Rosie tells me.

Rosie informs me on various insights about myself.

A little too frequently for my liking.

*ahem*

Rosie is my woman, in case you didn't know. She's pretty much my Pina Colada lifesaver.

I like pizza, football, and blonde chicks.

Make that _leggy_ blonde chicks.

Rosie has this teeny-tiny lil' black skirt and these red, red heels that she said cost more than my Xbox and so when she puts 'em on… I think I die a little every time.

I'm a lucky man- you don't have to tell me that.

A blonde chick -no names here (*cough* _Rosie_ *cough*) once broke my heart, but it's all good now. Like, really good. She said she's gonna have my babies. Like, soon. I hope. I got a gray hair this morning. I don't wanna totally be salt and pepper (or even worse, _bald_), when my kiddos are born (cause really, who wants an old dude for a dad) so we're working on the baby makin' thing lickety split.

Am I the luckiest guy or what?

I told Rosie we have to have a red headed kid. We. Have. To. Red haired kids are the shi- I mean, shoot.

I promised Rosie I'd keep this clean for y'all.

What else can I tell you about myself?

Well, I'm an excellent bartender, I have a thing for Chihuahuas (don't laugh at me, my Kevin bites like a you-know-what) and I have a knack for knowing when people are lying to me.

It comes in handy from time to time, trust me.

I also have a baby sister.

Ah.

Her name is Bella.

Actually, her born-name is Isabella Marie Swan, but that's a mouthful and ten, so we call her Bella.

Social Sciences lesson for today: Bella means beautiful in Italian.

You would not believe all the corny jokes prospective boyfriends made about that.

"Bella, you're beautiful," la la la and so on.

It got to be really annoying.

The jokes stopped when I pulled out Pop's shotgun, let me tell you.

Oh my gosh, it was so funny watching them running across town…

But I'm getting off track here.

She's twenty-five years old, God love her, and she's the reason I don't eat pistachio ice cream.

Don't ask.

I couldn't ask for a better little sister.

She doesn't hog the remote.

Enough said.

Okay, okay, just joking. She does more than that. She makes really, _really_ good food (turns out batty Grandma Swan had some good recipes to pass on after all) and she knows how to change car oil and sew a button.

Not at the same time, of course, but hey, anything's possible.

I should really ask her about that…

But my darling lil' sis did something to me that she's never done before, and it hurt.

She lied to me.

Like a boldfaced lie. Right out there, in my face (well, technically, we were on the phone, but we were as close as could be).

Nobody lies to Emmett Swan.

Nobody.

Jimmy Hunter (third grade, Forks Prep) learned that the hard way.

It's like one of those unbreakable vows.

You just don't do it.

Right, Harry Potter?

But she did it, and what's worse- she thought I wouldn't figure it out.

How did I know, you ask?

Let me start at the beginning.

It's almost sacrilegious of Bella to leave chicken enchiladas to rot in the fridge. Like seriously. She'll second day air them to me (wherever I happen to be) if she can't finish them.

When I saw the fuzzy creations molding in her crisper, I just knew something was up.

It was one of those things.

Heck, there was like six inches of dust on her counter tops and her Glade air freshener had expired too.

She never lets those little-fruity-smelly things expire.

Something smelled rotten, and it wasn't due to the lack of air freshener.

Trust me on this.

And I know what you're thinking-

It wasn't me, either.

I shower daily and use underarm deodorant quite liberally, thank you very much.

I may look like a bear, but I certainly don't smell like one.

Anyways…

What was I saying?

Lie.

Right.

So she lied to me.

Her voice got all high and giggly and she sounded really nervous when I talked to her on the phone.

Either she was about to get an Academy Award, or she didn't want me to know something.

My sister can't act to save her life, so I figured it was the latter.

I nearly lost my mind when she told me she was with the (ahem)- hole who broke her heart.

My sister is a glutton for punishment.

I couldn't believe it.

She was willingly with Edward Cullen.

Unbelievable.

And what was more unbelievable, she answered the phone as Bella Cullen.

I didn't know that man adopted.

I wondered how he felt about having a daughter three years younger than he was.

*sigh*

I guess I need to stop kidding myself.

She married him or some crap like that, didn't she?

WHY?

Who in their right mind would do that?

And WHY was I not invited to the wedding?

Everybody knows that wedding food is the best.

And free booze?

That is my scene!

***Ouch*** (_damn it, Rose, I'm trying to talk here_)

.

.

.

I mean, anywhere my Rosie goes is good enough for me.

I may be a little prejudiced on this, but I only have one baby sister, and not just anybody can have her.

Especially people who've already had their chances with her.

Especially Edward Cullen.

Anybody but him.

He doesn't deserve my little sister.

I don't trust men who lack tans.

Besides that, why the rush?

And why didn't she tell me?

Technically, she hasn't told me anything, but I have super sleuthing skills.

I have been out of the country for six months.

She'll UPS me her homemade dinners, but wedding invitations?

Perish the thought.

And where is Pop's shotgun?

It has to be around here somewhere- Pops gave it to Bells because she can't defend herself as well as I can.

I have two built in guns.

*kisses biceps proudly*

Edward Cullen does not.

He's such a pansy.

And so freakin' pale, too.

.

.

.

My name is Swan.

Emmett Swan.

And Edward Cullen is no match for me.

Whoo boy, this is gonna be good.

(_Alright, Rose, alright! I'm coming already!_)

Peace out, peeps.

Chapter Twenty-Two

**Part B**

_Sick and Tired_

Edward's face turned three shades whiter (if that was even possible) and his left hand shakily gripped the stairway railing as he realized his mistake.

His gross, erroneous mistake that had just cost him this case and possibly his life.

"Answer me," Demetri practically shouted, his voice echoing in the narrow hall way.

I watched my husband collect himself with a sigh. "Yes. Yes, I am from the American government. I'm a special agent, for the CIA specifically. I was tasked to investigate your company- there is a Belgian fraud ring that is hindering American trade with Europe, and it needs to end."

Demetri fumed. "You two-timing Americans. Here I am, thinking I am offering you the chance of a lifetime to come and work for me, when in fact, you have a grand espionage operation running right under my nose to accuse me of crimes I have not even thought of committing! I, sir, am greatly insulted."

Edward was silent.

"Do you have anything to say for your disgraceful behavior, sir?"

"I am sorry for deceiving you, Mr. Bellagio. I was simply doing my job."

Demetri nodded.

"I am sorry it has to end this way, Mr. Cullen, but I cannot stand to be deceived. I also do not appreciate being accused of outrageous transgressions in faulty business dealings and wrongful handling of funds, whether they are true or not. I pride my company on the utmost purity and integrity, and I can assure you, no wrongdoing has taken place.

I have spoken with my lawyers, and rest assured, I will see you in court, Mr. Cullen."

Edward simply nodded.

Demetri walked away, and gently shut the guest bedroom door behind him, doubtless going to pack his clothes and placing a call for the next flight to Belgium.

I could not believe this. Was my hus… no, _Edward_, just going to let him walk away? Wasn't he guilty of fraud?

Edward sagged against the railing, and slowly slid down until he was seated on the floor. I decided to make my presence known, and quietly tiptoed to him, settling myself down next to him. He didn't hesitate to wrap me in his arms, breathing in the scent of my hair and twining my fingers with his.

"What's going to happen now?" I wondered aloud, my eyes searching his face.

"I honestly don't know. He could press charges and sue, I could be fired, demoted, or at least suspended for my carelessness. We'll see how it plays out. Well, at least we don't have to pretend to be married anymore…."

My heart sank, but I knew that now my time was up. I needed to get out of the fantasy world I had been living in, and back to the real world, where a different life and promising career waited for me.

The slamming of a door startled me and I looked up to Demetri's cold stare, which was fixed on Edward.

"I have arranged my belongings and called for a taxi cab." He said coldly to Edward, and then inclined his head to me, his tone warming. "Mrs. Cullen- it was a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for your hospitality and opening your home to me. Please thank your little daughter for me too. She brought me much joy in my time here. Good day."

And with that, he walked down the stairs and out the door, presumably waiting to sit on the front porch until his cab arrived.

I abruptly pushed myself away from Edward and made my way towards Ellie's bedroom. I could hear him muttering under his breath as he followed me, tugging at his ridiculous hair and wringing his hands.

I strode quickly into Ellie's bedroom, expecting to see her playing on the bed where I had left her only moments before, but she was gone. I heard quiet sniffling coming from the closet, and my heart sank.

Ellie was sitting on the floor, clutching her teddy to her chest. Tear tracks were running down her little face, and her thumb was in her mouth.

She pulled her thumb out of her mouth, "I heard yelling."

"Oh, baby," I said softly, kneeling down and pulling her into my arms, "I am so sorry."

I felt Edward sit down behind me, and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"You were yelling at Mr. 'Metri, Daddy." She said softly, gazing at Edward stoically, like she expected an explanation for his behavior.

"And I'm sorry for that," he said, tucking a stray curl behind her ear.

"You scared me. Are you gonna yell at me too?" She buried her face in my shoulder.

"Never, Ellie," he exclaimed, pulling her face up to meet his. "I promise to never lose my temper with you."

His promise seemed to placate her, and I felt her little body relax in my arms.

"How about Daddy gives you a bath, sweetie? I think that would make you feel much better."

Ellie nodded, and Edward scooped her up to carry her to the bathroom. I brushed myself off and got off the wood floor, ready to start packing to leave.

I entered the bedroom I had shared with Edward and pulled my duffel bag out of the closet, ready to pack my things and leave. I perched the suitcase on the bed as I threw random things into the bag, not caring if they broke or got wrinkled due to my carelessness. After I had stuffed the bag as full as I could get it, I paged Peter on the intercom and asked him to bring up the rest of my luggage.

I heard giggles and splashes coming from the bathroom, and my heart broke when I realized that this would be the last time I got to witness bath time in the Cullen household. I slowly put down the sweater I was folding and quickly walked to the bathroom, determined not to miss out on the fun.

Ellie was playing with her rubber dolphins and ducks in the tub, while Edward was trying to dodge the resulting splashes that came his way.

"Get Daddy, duckie!" Ellie cried, throwing the duck at Edward, where it landed with a wet smack against his chest. I laughed out loud at his shocked face, and they both turned to me with surprised looks on their faces.

"Hey guys, who's having the bath? Daddy or Ellie?" I chuckled, sitting on top of the closed toilet.

"It's pretty hard to tell at this point," Edward said ruefully, shaking water out of his hair.

I watched the two loves of my life banter back and forth, not caring how much water they spilled on me or the floor.

I was so going to miss this.

"Mrs. Cullen?"

Peter was standing in the bathroom doorway, looking on at the scene before him with a small smile.

"Oh, yes Peter?"

"I have placed the rest of your luggage in your bedroom. Please call me when you have finished packing, and I will come collect them for you." He said softly.

"Thank you, I will." I said with a smile.

Peter hurriedly departed, and I turned back to Ellie and Edward, who had stopped playing and were looking at me with hurt eyes.

"Where you goin' Mommy?" Ellie asked, a puzzled frown on her cherubic face.

"Yeah, Mommy, where are you going?" Edward echoed, folding his arms across his chest, anger suddenly dancing in his eyes.

I sighed heavily.

"It's time for me to go home."

**I am really sorry that it took me so long. School was a big focus for this semester, and my hard work paid off. Summer time is here, and I plan to write as much as I can. Thank you for your support of my work, and a review to let me know you're still with me would make my day.**

**No matter how long I take, I will finish this story. Some of my favorite authors have pulled their stories, and I know how frustrating it can be to not have closure.**

**All I ask is that you keep being patient with me. Thank you all for the reviews and PMs- glad to know that you guys still care if I'm still alive.**

**You are all too good to me.**

**Until next time,**

**ybeg**


	23. Things Are a Changin'

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

_**Things Are a Changin'**_

Edward and Ellie gave me the Cullen pout at the same time. I could already feel my heart sinking in my chest as I looked at their faces. It wasn't their fault that I needed to leave, but my job here was done. I had to go.

"Edward, I'm sorry," I said weakly, my eyes filling with tears.

"No, Bella, you can't leave. I won't allow it," he said sternly, taking me by the hand and leading me out of the bathroom. He shut the bathroom door, then turned to let me have it.

"Damn it, Bella, I thought we meant something to you. I thought I meant something. Didn't you say that you were willing to give our relationship a try? You promised to try, Bella."

"I never said I wanted to break us up, Edward," I retorted hotly, "I just need my space."

"This house has five bedrooms, Bella, whatever you want, it's yours. Just don't leave. I need you, Ellie needs you. Bella, did you even think about what this is going to do to her? Did you? You are the only mother figure she has ever known. Do you really want to take that away from her?"

A hot tear slid down my cheek. "Of course I don't! I love her like she is my daughter. Don't guilt trip me with her, Edward, that's not fair!"

"Mommy?" The bathroom door peeked open, and Ellie was standing there in her little purple towel, the rest of her soaking wet. "Mommy, I don't want you to leave," she reached up her arms to be held.

I gently scooped her up, not caring that she was soaking my outfit with water. "Ellie, I need to go back to my house, honey,"

How does one explain such a sticky mess to a five year old?

"But this is your house," she protested, playing with the locket around my neck.

"No baby, it's not,"

"Yes, it is! You're my Mommy and Daddy is my Daddy and I am Ellie and you can't leave!" She screamed, and buried her face in my neck, tugging hard on the chain of my necklace.

"Edward, you need to take her," I said, not quite able to deal with forty pounds of soaking wet five year old.

He gently tugged Ellie from my arms, and motioned for me to follow him to her bedroom. She was sobbing into his chest, and I felt like the worst person on the planet for leaving.

But in my heart, I knew it was the best thing for all of us.

He laid her on the bed, and quickly dressed her in play clothes. Her lips were starting to turn purple and she was shivering. She didn't even wait for him to comb out her hair before she was back in my arms, fisting her small hands into my shirt.

"M-Mommy, y-y-you can't leave," she wailed.

I looked up to Edward in desperation, but he just sat next to me on the bed and put his arms around us both.

", there is- oh," Charlotte came into the bedroom, looking concerned. "Is she alright? Esme Elizabeth, are you sick?"

"Mommy's goin' away, tell her not to leave, Charlotte," she said pitifully, sniffling into my shirt.

Charlotte frowned. "Well, then, I will just have to talk to her and your Daddy, won't I?" She pressed a button on the intercom by the door.

"Kate, could you please come and sit with Ellie? It may be in your best interest to bring up a movie as well."

Kate had joined us in the bedroom in no time and coaxed Ellie into the family room to watch The Little Mermaid.

With both girls gone, Charlotte fixed Edward and I with a steely gaze. She frowned disapprovingly on our joined hands as we sat together on the bed.

"You two," she said sharply, "Are going to have to send that child to a therapist before she's six. Do you have any idea that your relationship is taking an emotional toll on your daughter?"

"Ellie is very happy to have a mother figure in her life, Charlotte, and the fact that Bella and I are pursuing a relationship is only icing on the cake," Edward said defensively.

"Edward," she sighed, "that is not the point. I know Ellie is very happy to have 'Mommy' around, but Bella has suggested leaving, and you just witnessed how well she took that news. You're both toying with her emotional stability, and it isn't right. Bella, if you do decide that leaving is best, you probably shouldn't quit cold turkey. You're going to have to gradually distance yourself from her, so she gets used to seeing you less and less." Charlotte shook her head. "You two are going to destroy that little girl, and I won't stand for it."

"I'm her father, Char, I know what's best for her," Edward practically shouted, and I gently squeezed his fingers with my own, trying to calm him.

"Edward, the road to hell is often paved with good intentions. I know you only want the best for her, but for Ellie, having Bella as her Mother is a very permanent thing to her. When Bella leaves… she's going to be very distraught. I'm happy for both of you, but please, be careful about what you say and do around a very impressionable five year old.

Bella, since this ridiculous charade with Mr. Demetri is over, may I suggest that you have Ellie refer to you as Bella, and not Mommy? You really are not her mother, no matter how close you two are, and it really won't do to encourage her mother/daughter fantasy."

Now I was angry.

"It isn't a fantasy! We practically are mother and daughter! I don't have a problem with her calling me Mommy! Hell, Edward and I are legally married, so that does make me her mother!"

Charlotte looked sad. "But what if you and Edward don't work out, Bella? What if you're not the woman meant to be the mother figure in her life? Bella, please, don't confuse her. It'll only be harder in the end. Just try it. As your relationship with Ellie and Edward deepens and grows, there may come a time when you feel it is appropriate for her to address you as her mother. But right now… you two haven't even been together for a month. So far, your whole relationship has been a charade. Built on a façade, and strengthened with lies. You need to start back at the beginning, as Edward, Bella, and Ellie."

I finally began to see Charlotte's reasoning, and I felt a twinge of remorse when I realized that I had blurred the line between what was appropriate and what was not.

"…And for goodness sake, Edward, take your wife out on a date, if she doesn't decide to leave, that is."

Charlotte winked at us, and left the room.

Edward didn't hire a woman with a degree in child psychology for nothing.

**.TGND.**

Just when I had everything packed, I burst into tears. I couldn't do this. I couldn't leave them. I had fallen so hard, so fast, and it was impossible for me to drag myself away.

I could see myself with them for the rest of my life. I closed my eyes, and saw what I wanted to see. I had had a frighteningly realistic dream the night before, and I allowed myself to replay it in my head, savoring the memory.

"_Lemme do it! Lemme do it!"_

_I was awakened by little feet running down the hallway. I hoped those little feet had equally little "special" socks on, because-_

_BANG_

_slip, _

_tumble…_

"_Owie!"_

_Looks like Daddy forgot the special socks again this morning. _

_I told him she needed socks with the rubber grips on the bottom for the slippery hardwood floors. We were running out of Hello Kitty band-aids and I was tired of the resulting boo-boos and inevitable crying. _

"_Mommy!"_

"_Bella!"_

_The baby began to cry, and as I looked at the clock- it was way too early for this. What happened to sleeping in on Saturday mornings? I reluctantly peeled myself from the warm covers, missing the mornings where my husband and I would lounge in bed and relax until the sun was much higher in the sky. I yawned and stretched, and got out of the bed, almost tripping on a purple pacifier that lay discarded on the rug. _

_So that's where it went. My head began to swim from images from last night. If I had had that pacifier at four this morning…_

_I gathered my robe from the edge of the bed, covering myself just in time before the bedroom door opened with a bang. _

"_Mommy! I hurted myself on the floor!" Ellie reached up her arms to be held, tears running down her face. I extended my arms toward her to pick her up, but a disapproving frown from Edward stopped me. He handed me my hungry baby instead, and took Ellie into his arms. _

"_You need to rest, Bella. Get back in bed."_

"_Edward…"_

"_You just had a baby, Bella. Feed Carlie, and I'll ask Charlotte to bring your breakfast up when you're finished. Come on, Ellie. Your Cheerios await."_

_I snuggled back into the covers and Edward tucked a blanket around me and the now happily nursing baby before kissing me and taking our very active six year old downstairs. _

My crazy dream made me realize how badly I wanted to be with them.

I was in, no matter the consequences.

Edward was watching another movie with Ellie, Kate having gone home long ago. I sheepishly asked Peter to put my bags back in the blue room, giving a weak excuse about not wanting to leave yet.

I found my two loves curled up on the couch, and slipped in next to Edward, placing his arm around my waist.

"I'm staying," I whispered into his ear, and I swear, he smiled so widely his face threatened to split in two.

"Really, Bella? You are?"

He was so happy.

I laughed. "I figured you were worth a try."

To my alarm, he leapt off the couch, startling Ellie, and twirled me in his arms.

"You're staying, you're staying," he whispered reverently, kissing me gently on the lips.

"Yes, I'm staying," I said, suddenly annoyed. "But there are some things that we need to discuss."

"Whatever you want, it's yours," he said carelessly.

I led him back to the couch and we sat together, curled up in each other, Ellie oblivious.

"First, Mr. Cullen, separate bedrooms." I said sternly.

He pouted. "You can't be serious. I can't sleep without you next to me."

"I am very serious, Edward. We need to have some boundaries."

"You're just mad that I got you into my bed before the first date." He smirked.

"Geez, Edward, little ears," I hissed, "But yes, Edward, I am peeved about that. We need to start over- you need to make me fall in love with you, or whatever it is you want."

"You want me to romance you," he sounded shocked.

"Precisely."

**.TGND.**

"Bella, let me lose the tie. I feel like an old man." Edward was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, wrestling with the red silk.

"No way, Mr. Cullen. I have to be seen in public with you. That tie makes you look sexy."

"Oh really now?"

"What does sexy mean?"

I whirled around. Ellie was standing in the bathroom door, dressed and apparently ready for bed.

"It means," Edward said loudly from across the room, "that Bella thinks I look handsome."

It didn't escape my attention that he had called me Bella, instead of Mommy in front of her. That was another thing I had insisted upon. Like Charlotte had said, I really wasn't Ellie's mother, and unless Edward and I decided to make our relationship permanent, I preferred not to confuse her any longer. She had been very upset when I asked her to call me Bella, but we had finally come to an understanding that I would still live at the Cullen house and do Mother and Daughter like activities together. I was still the same person, but Ellie needed to see who I really was, instead of a pretender.

She didn't even know me.

"Come on Ellie, you need to get in bed," Charlotte said, taking the little girl by the hand.

"Wait! I wanna say g'night!" she squirmed out of Charlotte's grasp and made a beeline for me. She hugged me tightly around my legs, and placed a kiss on my hip- the highest place she could reach.

I knelt down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight pumpkin, sweet dreams."

"Night, Mom- I mean, Bella!" she returned my kiss and scampered over to Edward.

He swung her up in his arms, and held her above his head.

"Edward, your back," I cautioned, combing my hair with my fingers. He just winked at me.

"Have a good rest, my big girl," Edward said softly, then blew raspberries into her neck.

"Daddy, stop!" she giggled, trying to get away from his ticklish lips.

"Alright, alright, let's not get her riled up. Come on, sweetheart." Charlotte smiled at Ellie, and led her out of the bedroom.

"You got off easy there with the whole sexy thing, Daddy," I teased, reaching for the hairspray.

"Just wait until we have to give her a more detailed description of the birds and the bees."

"We?" I queried.

"Of course, we. I think it'll be easier to explain how a baby gets in a mommy's tummy if we actually have a real life example."

"Oh, is Kate expecting?"

"No. But you will be." He said seriously, straightening his tie.

"Edward, you promised." I laid my head on his shoulder, and looked at the both of us in the mirror. We certainly did make a handsome couple.

"I know, love, I know. I have to woo you first. I'm sorry for getting carried away. Bella, every time I think about my future, you're in it. This, whatever it is we have, it feels so right. You are going to have my babies, Bella Cullen. I know it."

"Whatever you say," I chuckled nervously, thinking of my dream. "We need to go to keep our reservations. I'm starving."

**.TGND.**

"Why is it that every time we go out, random guys can't stop looking at you? This is ridiculous," Edward fumed, frowning at the overly enthusiastic waiter who had just left our table.

I reached over the table and squeezed his hand. "Calm down, Edward. And I don't think it's a big deal. You've only taken me out twice."

He grimaced. "I'm sorry for that. I promise, we're going to do all the dating stuff that normal couples do until we get sick of going out. I'm going to do this right with you."

"I wasn't complaining, Edward." I said softly, looking down at my plate.

"I know you weren't," He said, just as quietly. "Do you want dessert?"

I shook my head. "No thanks. I'm stuffed. But there was something that I wanted to talk to you about before we leave."

He took a sip of his wine. "Okay, what is it?"

I took a deep breath, knowing that he wasn't going to like what I was going to say.

"Edward, I want a divorce."

His wineglass fell to the floor.

Shoot.

**A divorce? But everything was going so well! **

**So… I understand that you guys might not be very happy with this turn of events, but Bella and Edward need to really evaluate their relationship before they can move on. And to protect Ellie, of course. **

**I promise it will only get better from here.**

**Please leave me your thoughts. I updated in a week! :) And Bella didn't leave!**

**xoxo,**

**ybeg**

**P.S. How did you like Bella's dream? A taste of things to come, perhaps?**


	24. Next Level

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

_Next Level_

.

I wanted a divorce for several reasons. It wasn't that I was upset about not having a grand, white, wedding with all my friends and family members- being in the spotlight was the last place I wanted to be.

I felt like everything had been rushed and secret- it didn't really feel like I was married in the first place. Having Edward and I sign a sheet of paper didn't exactly feel like we were really legally husband and wife.

This time around, I wanted tradition, permanence, and simply things done right.

Edward, of course, was understandably upset, but he went to the Justice of the Peace and had our marriage annulled. We didn't need a divorce, since our marriage was never consummated. I think Edward was more sorry for that than anything else.

Everything finally seemed to be fitting into place. There was still one problem, though.

Edward didn't have a job.

He had been promptly dismissed the day after the fiasco with Demetri.

Since then, he had been home with Ellie and I, and I wasn't going to lie- I liked having him around.

Sure, it was annoying when I wanted to watch my Netflix on the big screen, and he just had to watch the World Cup, but other than that, we were able to live peaceably together. I had moved back into the blue room, despite Edward's protests. I needed my space if we were going to make this work.

Edward spent his time around the house doing various projects, and stubbornly tried to fix the leak in the kitchen sink all by himself.

"It's just a few pipes, Bella." He argued as he put on his rattiest shirt and oldest jeans. "If I can't fix a small leak, I should not own a sink."

That was the most ridiculous logic I had ever heard.

"Edward, I really think you should leave that to the professionals. What if you flood the house or something? Do you even know the difference between a wrench and a screwdriver?"

"Of course," was his frustrated answer.

Ellie and I solemnly sat on the kitchen floor and watched him work. She cradled the house phone in her little hands, and I balanced the phone book on my lap- we weren't as optimistic as Daddy was.

It was Peter's day off, and Garrett had sprained his ankle the day before, so he was out of commission, no doubt being catered to by Kate.

Edward had turned off the water in the house, and set to work banging and clanging under the sink. His muffled curses and the odd noises coming from the pipes told me that he wasn't turning out to be the plumber he thought he was.

"Shi-dam-_dang_ it!" he growled, and Ellie giggled.

"Edward, little ears," I cautioned, flipping the pages until I got to "P"- for Plumber.

"Stop distracting me!" he huffed, poking his head out from under the sink.

"We haven't made a peep, Daddy," Ellie said seriously. "We're not distracting."

"Go play with your baby dolls or something, honey. You don't have to watch Daddy."

She shrugged and didn't move. "You're funner to watch than playing with my dollies."

He cocked an eyebrow at her, and I resisted the urge to laugh. "Suit yourself."

Half an hour later, Ellie had gotten bored with the show and I was on hold with the real plumber.

Edward gave up on his project, and it wasn't with a heaping measure of grace either.

"If I can't fix it, no one can. I bet this sink is so screwed up that its going to cost me hundreds of dollars to fix it. Call me when he gets here. I'll be in my office."

He stomped up the stairs, muttering under his breath.

I stifled a laugh and called the plumbing company.

Our sink was back to normal in twenty minutes and twenty bucks. I didn't let Edward see the bill- he had had enough things to worry about, and his manly pride had been wounded enough.

Besides trying to be domestic, Edward was looking for another job- with surprising success. I learned that being a spy or whatever he actually used to do wasn't the only thing he could do. He had been studying law for several years before making the sudden switch to special operations. There were several opportunities available in Seattle for those who wanted to practice or assist in law, but for Edward, there was one problem.

He hadn't taken any of the exams which would qualify him to be a lawyer. He may have known every rule in the book inside and out, but he couldn't prove it. So he studied, and studied, and studied. Every day he was practically locked in his office, wearing out the keys on his laptop and poring over huge thick books, trying to memorize and learn every possible thing that he could. He was nothing if not thorough.

While Edward was off learning, it was my responsibility to make sure Ellie was entertained and didn't disturb him. That was easier said than done. Edward wanted to take the bar exams as soon as possible- the house and the lifestyle we lived wasn't going to pay for itself.

Every hour on the hour, it was:

"What's Daddy doing?"

"Why?"

"Can I go see Daddy?"

She would sneak up to his office as soon as I had my back turned. I would go up there to find her pretending to read the books he left strewn around on his desk, or sitting in his lap, playing with his tie or his hair as he tried to complete practice exams online.

She was so funny. She didn't really understand that Daddy could be at home and be at work at the same time. Work happened out of the house, not in it. Edward, of course, stopped whatever he was doing as soon as he saw her come in, and often he wouldn't go back to his studying for an hour or two.

I tried my best to keep her busy with her toys, playing outside in the garden, cooking… anything to keep her entertained. I loved her to death, but she was driving me crazy.

Having been locked up in the house for so long gave me a bad case of cabin fever, and I took every opportunity to go out. The grocery store, the dry cleaners, even the gas station- I cheerfully volunteered to run every errand I could, and I took Ellie along for the ride. Charlotte thought I was borderline crazy.

I began to work more from Edward's home as well- I couldn't avoid my job forever, and I welcomed the distraction. I could only work while Ellie was asleep, though. It was too hard to concentrate when a five year old was playing Barbies around your ankles or asking to go outside every other hour.

Riley from next door had begun to learn a little too much about the world around him, and it was when he invited Ellie to play doctor with him that Edward drew the line and forbade her from interacting with him. I couldn't blame him, but I felt badly for Ellie- Riley had really been her only friend up until this point. I couldn't wait for her to start kindergarten and meet some children her own age.

We did try a playgroup with some moms and children Riley's mother had recommended, but the children were worse versions of Riley, and the mothers only wanted to dish up the dirt on other housewives and talk about their plastic surgery procedures. Once they found out Edward Cullen's new wife didn't know Guess from Gucci, and that she would never even think about getting a boob job, I was pretty much excluded. I personally thought that they were just jealous. None of them were married to man who looked like a Greek god.

So Ellie and I hung about the house and explored. I got to know her even better than I had before, and this time around, we could really have a relationship- pretenses and falseness aside. I knew Edward was happy we got along so well- I was happy too, but I couldn't help but think how painful it would be if this didn't work out.

I didn't have to wait long to find out.

The doorbell rang unexpectedly while Ellie was napping, and I immediately jumped to answer it-I was not going to run the risk of having her wake up.

A portly, balding man in a blue, official looking uniform waited patiently at the door. After hesitating a second, I reluctantly opened it.

He perked up. "Hello ma'am, does Mr. Edward Cullen live here?"

I closed the door an inch, and answered his nosy question with a noncommittal answer. "Possibly. I'm his wife. Why do you want to know?"

He pushed his cap up higher on his head and scratched the back of his neck. "I'm from State Services, ma'am, and it's important that your husband receives these documents." He nodded towards the stuffed manila envelope he clutched in his sweaty hands.

"Oh, he's in the shower right now, but I can give them to him." I reached my hand through the crack in the door and held it up expectantly.

The man chuckled. "Sorry, ma'am, but my instructions are to deliver them to him personally- in his hands. I wish I could just drop them to you- I've got a bunch of other deliveries to make."

I sighed. "Wait here." I then closed the door in his face, not caring if I was rude. I did not want that dirty man in the house.

I ran up the stairs to Edward's bedroom, calling his name. I found him in his part of the closet, pulling on a pair of pants. "Where's the fire, love?" he asked jokingly as he buttoned them up.

"There's a guy claiming to be from the State of Washington standing on the front steps. He says he has legal papers for you?"

Edward groaned. "I was afraid of this."

"Afraid of what, exactly?" I pressed, as I followed him down the stairs.

He didn't answer me as he wrenched open the front door.

"Edward Cullen?" the man asked hopefully.

"Sadly, yes." Edward said ruefully, running a hand through his hair.

"Edward Cullen, you have been served. Have a nice day." He turned away, and walked back to his beat up car, whistling. I could have sworn he was as high as a kite. There was just something about him…

"Get a real job, jerk," Edward murmured under his breath as we went back inside.

He threw the folder on the kitchen table and made to go back upstairs. I was a little surprised by this.

"Aren't you going to open it, Edward?"

"No," he called, "It's just our annulment papers. I really don't need to look at them." His voice sounded a little sour. He wasn't really happy with me dropping the divorce on him like a bomb, but if we were going to do this, we needed to do it all the way.

Now I had no legal experience, but I knew that you didn't get "served" annulment papers.

"Edward, tell me the truth," I snapped, as I watched him ascend the stairs.

"Bella, it's nothing," he protested, running a hand through his hair.

"I thought it was our annulment papers, but now it's nothing?" I asked, catching his lie.

"It's none of your concern, Bella," Now he was frustrated. He came down and snatched the envelope from where he had tossed it.

"What are you hiding from me, Edward? You're acting strange!"

"I'm not acting strange! You're being nosy! Stay out of my business, Bella!" He shouted.

"Excuse me?" I shrieked, forgetting all about the napping five year old upstairs, "I'm being nosy? All I asked was a simple question and you blow up at me! What's in the envelope? What are you hiding?"

"Nothing! Mind your own damn business!" He barked, and turned away from me.

"Edward Cullen, if you don't tell me what's going on, I will pack my bags and leave this house in a heartbeat. I thought we were done with the lies and cover ups." I said, more hurt than angry at this point.

Why didn't he trust me?

He sighed, and began to rip open the envelope. I suddenly dreaded what was kept inside.

He held out the papers within like they would burst into flames, and I took them gingerly. He sat on the steps with his head in his hands.

I tried to make sense of the legal jargon that was smeared in tiny black ink all across the page. I didn't understand what the papers meant until I got to the second page.

.

**I know I am evil with a capital E. I don't think I was meant to write stories that have more than 10 chapters. We're almost done, just a few more chapters and an epilogue! I promise I will update faster now that I know how this story is going to wrap up.**

**Oh- the thing with the "you've been served" dude. Pineapple Express was on the brain, for some reason. Love that movie. :D**

**If you're still with me, let me know! And my birthday is tomorrow, so I'd be so delighted with some extra love! **

**xoxo,**

**ybeg**

**My one shot, ****Louder Than Words****, is up. Go check it out if you haven't already! **


	25. Are You My Mother?

**Chapter Twenty Five**

Are You My Mother?

.

_He sighed, and began to rip open the envelope. I suddenly dreaded what was kept inside._

_He held out the papers within like they would burst into flames, and I took them gingerly. He sat on the steps with his head in his hands._

_I tried to make sense of the legal jargon that was smeared in tiny black ink all across the page. I didn't understand what the papers meant until I got to the second page._

**TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:**

**MS. ROSALIE LILLIAN HALE REQUESTS FULL MATERNAL SUPERVISON AND CUSTODY OF ESME ELIZABETH CULLEN, AGED FIVE YEARS, ONE MONTH. MS. HALE AND ASSOC. REQUEST THE PRESENCE OF BIOLOGICAL FATHER EDWARD ANTHONY CULLEN IN PATERNAL COURT NINE A. MARCH THE SIXTH, TWO THOUSAND AND TEN. FURTHER CUSTODIAL ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE DISCUSSED IN OFFICE 109, SEATTLE COURTHOUSE FOR RE-OPENING OF CASE C-187736. **

**MR. CULLEN'S FAILURE TO ATTEND THIS COURT SUPERVISED HEARING WILL RESULT IN POSSIBLE REVOCATION OF CURRENT CUSTODY AGREEMENT AND 48 HOURS SERVICE IN COUNTY PENITENTARY.**

"Edward, what does this mean?" I asked shakily, although I already had a pretty good idea.

He sighed. "I know I should have told you this from the start, but it was so hard…"

"You couldn't tell the one person who needs to hear it most the truth?"

"I didn't want to hurt you, Bella. I know all the pain Rose put Emmett through and I didn't want that to affect your relationship with Ellie if you guys really clicked."

It kind of made me sick to think I had been doting on Rose's daughter.

No.

She was Edward's daughter- Edward's perfect, sparkly daughter who called _me_ Mommy.

"Does Ellie know about Rose?"

"She's met her Aunt Rose a few times," he muttered. "I don't know why Rose is doing this. She told me before Ellie was a year old that she wanted no part of motherhood. Rose and I were friends with benefits after she broke Emmett's heart. We got carried away in the heat of the moment more than a few times and nine months later, we had perfect Ellie. To give you the short version of a long and painful story, Rose had postpartum depression and she gave me full custody of Ellie before deciding to join the Peace Corps. I guess she's back, now. But why is she suing me for custody? She hasn't even talked to me or seen Ellie in years."

He looked so defeated. And even though I was so angry with him, he needed someone to help him, not tear him down. I sat on the steps with him and put and arm around him, resting my head on his shoulders.

"What are you going to do?" I asked quietly.

"I have to go to court. If not, it looks bad and I could do jail time. Will you watch Ellie? This hearing is next week."

"Of course."

"Thanks, Bell. I'm so sorry. This wasn't the way I wanted you to find out."

"Were you ever going to tell me? You know how I feel about Rose."

"Of course I was!" He bristled, "there just never seemed like a good time."

"No time like the present…" I hinted. "Do you have any more skeletons in your closet that I need to know about?"

He sat a little straighter, thinking. "No… none that I can think of. But I can promise you, honey, if something comes up… you'll be the first person I tell. Thank you for respecting me and not running out on me. I don't deserve you."

"You sure don't," I chuckled, "Who else would put up with your crazy ways?"

He kissed the top of my head. "Thanks, love."

"Anytime, sweetie. Ellie's still napping. I think I'm going to run out and do some errands. Pasta for dinner?"

"Sounds amazing, Bell. I'm going to go back to my books."

He helped me off the stairs and we went our separate ways.

That night, we sat down and had dinner as a family. Ellie was back to her normal self and if Edward was stressed about Rosalie's subpoena, he didn't show it.

I was concerned, though. As far as Ellie knew, she didn't have a birth mama. Introducing Rose into her life would be something we would have to just let happen, and see how it turned out. In the meantime, I would need to call Emmett.

.

"Hey, Baby Sis, what's shakin'?" Emmett sounded unusually cheery, but as usual, he was chewing something.

"Have you talked to Rose?"

"If by talk you mean 'sex up', then yes, many times," he chortled.

I huffed. "Be serious, Em."

"Sorry, Bells. You know humor is my defense mechanism. Yes, I have talked to Rose, and I'm surprised you didn't call me sooner. She and your Ed have a kid, huh?"

"Yes, and she's the sweetest little thing, Em. How could Rose just abandon her?" I seethed.

"Now hey, hey, Bells. She may be a bitch but she is my girlfriend. Rose had a lot of issues back in the day. I've made peace with the situation and you need to do the same."

I couldn't believe my normally hot headed brother was being so rational about this.

"She doesn't deserve Ellie, Em!"

"Everyone deserves a second chance. Rose was scared and still shaken up over our breakup. It hurts me that she ran to Edward, but if her leaving for a time and then coming back has made her the woman I see today, then I can't complain. I have my Rosie back."

He sounded so happy.

"I'm just saying, Em, if she hurts that little girl…. And after five years, why does she want full custody of Ellie? Doesn't she realize how much Edward has done for their daughter? Em, she's robbing me of my daughter!"

I heard him sigh heavily on the other line. "This is such a screwed up situation, Bells. I can't explain Rose's behavior. I encouraged her to re-connect with Ellie, but suing Edward? I didn't know she had done that."

"Yea, we got the papers this afternoon."

"I'm so sorry Bells. I don't know what to do."

"I think if Edward and Rose are amenable, they need to meet and work out their issues before the court meeting."

"I agree. I'll bribe Rose one way or the other- she and Edward need to talk."

"Ok, I'll do the same with Edward. I just want what's best for Ellie."

My brother laughed softly. "You sound so much like a mother Bell, it's scary."

We said our goodbyes shortly after that and hung up. I sighed and looked heavenward. One man down, one to go.

.

"Absolutely not."

I blew out a breath and snuggled closer to him on the bed. We had watched a movie with Ellie in Edward's room after my phone call with Emmett, and she was fast asleep on his lap. I was trying to convince Edward to meet with Rose, hoping that Ellie's sleeping form would keep him calm and his voice low.

"Please, for me?" I batted my eyelashes dramatically and he laughed at me.

"If I must," he sighed.

I reached over him and grabbed his phone off the bedside table, dialing Rose's number. I held it out to him and kissed his cheek before jumping off the bed.

He groaned and held the phone to his ear while I gathered Ellie up and went to put her in her own bed.

I was reading a book in my room when he knocked on my door about twenty minutes later.

"I talked to her," he grumped, leaning in the doorway.

"See? That wasn't so bad, now was it?" I teased.

He ran a hand through his hair. "I barely survived. We're going to meet for lunch tomorrow. Can you watch Ellie?"

"Sure. We'll go to the park."

"So… since I did something you wanted me to do, will you return the favor?" His cheeks suddenly flamed.

I looked at him curiously. "What?"

He seemed sheepish. "My bed's lonely. Will you stay with me?"

I grinned and snatched my pillow. "I thought you'd never ask."

.

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" Ellie squealed, barely letting Edward come in the house before attacking him with kisses and hugs.

"Ellie, Ellie, Ellie!" he chanted back, toeing off his shoes and swinging her up into his arms.

"You were gone for a long time, Daddy," she said seriously, playing with the lapel of his shirt.

"Sorry, baby, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

He walked into the kitchen with her and noticed me standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Love," he said, giving me a quick kiss, "Was she good for you?"

"Practically an angel. How did it go?"

He grimaced. "It was tough, but like Emmett suggested, we met in a neutral sandwich shop so we couldn't start screaming at each other. But you didn't tell me you didn't talk to her yet. The two of you need to have your own little pow-wow. She wants to apologize."

I frowned. I did not like Rosalie. She had hurt the three people I loved most in this life- Edward, Emmett, and Ellie.

"Hey, if I had to, then you have to. Besides, if things go the way she wants them to, we'll be seeing a lot more of her."

"A lot more of who, Daddy?" Ellie asked, peeking up at us.

"Do you remember Aunt Rose, baby?" he asked gently, setting her down on the granite countertop.

Ellie nodded cheerfully. "Yes, she brought me Sunshine!" Sunshine was a little stuffed toy that resembled a golden retriever. It was quite worn due to Ellie's constant loving on it.

"Well, Aunt Rose moved to Seattle, so you might see her around more often."

"Yay!" Ellie cheered, "Do you think she'll bring me more presents?"

"Hey, don't get greedy," Edward chided, "Visits from Aunt Rose are nice without presents."

Ellie looked doubtful.

I knew _I_ was doubtful. I didn't appreciate Rosalie's stunts.

.

"I didn't think you would actually meet with me," Rose confided softly as she sat in the booth opposite me, a few days after she and Edward had lunch.

"It's not like I had a choice," I joked. "Edward is a wicked with persuasion."

It suddenly got awkward as I realized how my statement could be taken.

"I didn't mean it like that, Rose," I quickly backpedaled.

She waved it off. "I'm not offended, Bella. Edward and I really did not have a connection beyond the sexual attraction. Emmett's always been the one for me- I'm sorry that I had to be such a fool to realize it. I'm so, so sorry for causing your brother pain, and in turn for hurting you. I was so stupid."

She looked bleakly into her cappuccino, and I shocked myself by putting my hand over hers. "It's in the past now, Rose. You did the right thing by coming back. Emmett is back to his old self. I accept your apology, but we can't go back to being the good friends we were just yet. You have to understand… Edward and I are pursuing a relationship, and Ellie and I have bonded. I have deep feelings for the other people who were negatively affected by your absence."

"I get it, Bella. I just… I want to see my daughter. I know that we'll probably never have the mother/daughter relationship you have with her, but I want to watch her grow up and be in her life as much as I possibly can. I talked to Edward, and I've retracted the papers suing for custody. That was another foolish move on my part. I need to realize that she's become her own person while I've been globetrotting. She's five now and so impressionable. I don't want to confuse her by coming back into her life as her mother. I think you've got that handled quite well."

"Rose, are you sure?"

She sighed. "Yes, I am. I need to think about what's best for her. You and Edward can give her a stable, happy home. I'd love to be the Aunt Rose who spoils your daughter ridiculously, if you'll let me."

My heart warmed. "Of course, Rose. Ellie would love that."

And just like that, the puzzle pieces fell into place. There was no ugly confrontation or tears. I walked out of the coffee shop feeling lighter than I had in days.

**.TGND.**

Yea I freaking SUCK! I feel so bad for leaving you guys hanging since JULY of LAST YEAR. I really apologize. I FAIL.

Sorry if you wanted to see a knock down drag out with Rose. Who, yes, IS the mother, which most of you guessed. I just figured I needed to cut to the chase already!

I'm not sure how much longer this story will be. Just a few more chapters? I need to wrap it up and work on Fireproof. Against My Will never really took off so I'll probably just delete that story.

Again, I am so sorry. School's out for me so hopefully I can get chapters to you sooner!

Thanks for reading!

Any cute suggestions for scenes with Ellie? It's been so long since I've been around a 5 year old!


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